Causes Of A Damaged Chimney
Damaged Chimney Liner
If a flue inspection turns up damage to the chimney liner, you could be at risk of a house fire and the leakage of deadly carbon monoxide and smoke.
Solutions may include replacing the liner with a new, top-quality stainless-steel chimney liner. In some cases, repairing damaged liner surfaces with the HeatShield process is the right solution.
Issues with the Chimney Flashing
The flashing material that seals the gap between the roof and chimney must be tight, flat and well-sealed. When flashing is warped, rusted or otherwise damaged, it will allow water to run into unseen areas of the home, where it can affect building materials and parts of the chimney masonry.
Damaged flashing should be replaced.
Signs to Watch For
While a proper chimney inspection will give us the information we need to restore your damaged chimney, there are signs you can watch for on your own. These include:
- White, brown or green stains on the exterior masonry
- Water stains and discoloration on the walls and ceiling
- Crumbled mortar, brick flakes or dusty areas on the outside of the chimney or on the roof near it
- Bricks that are loose to the touch or obviously cracked
- Particles from a damaged chimney liner falling into the firebox
- Water in the firebox
- Musty odors coming from the fireplace
- A squeaky, hard-to-operate fireplace damper
It’s a good idea to periodically perform your own visual inspection of your chimney. Report to us anything you notice that looks odd or unusual.
Our CSIA-certified technicians can then come out and take a look. No matter what kind of chimney damage you’re facing, there’s a solution for it. But it’s always best to implement that solution in the early stages rather than waiting until the problem becomes dangerous.
Help for Your Chimney Damage
Anderson’s Chimney & Masonry Service works throughout Harrisburg, PA, Central, PA, Gettysburg, PA, Hanover, PA, Shrewsbury, PA, York, PA, Lititz, PA, Ephrata, PA, Chambersburg, PA, Rion Lion, PA, and other Pennsylvania communities.
Speak with a chimney and fireplace expert by calling (717) 975-3526. You can also use our handy contact form.
National Standards
As certified sweeps, we are held to national standards of the NFPA. NFPA 211 for wood burning, NFPA 54 for gas appliances and NFPA 31 for oil appliances. All of our work is always conducted professionally and in compliance with these and any other local government codes that apply. Our professional opinions will be based on our experience and education.
