Leaky chimneys are very common in our rainy season of March-July. As a result, Cincinnati has on the average 132 days rain that brings us 42 “1/4 inches of rain. Nearby cities of Portland(39″), Orlando (53″), and Seattle(38″) do not have anywhere near as much rainfall as Cincinnati.
Firstly, every chimney contractor should know, water & bricks don’t mix.
If water problems are unattended, this may lead to further damages to the chimney and surrounding areas of your home.
What causes a chimney leak?
Extreme weather, freeze-thaw cycles, old age, and house settling. -These are some of the things that can cause damage to the crown, the cap, brick, and mortar, and chase top to allow water entry.
The Crown of the chimney must be watertight, that is to say we often refer to it as the Icing on top of a cupcake.
Signs of a leaky chimney:
Effolerence is white Staining on masonry as a result it becomes a crystal-like deposit of salts oftentimes seen on the surface of concrete, brick, stone, and stucco. This white chalky material (salt deposits) will be left behind on masonry materials as a sign of water damage. This can also be called “construction bloom”.
If you smell foul odors around the fireplace it can be caused by the excess water. This may be a mixture of water and creosote as a result of this strong odor.
My Concern in Leaky Chimneys:
The internal working of the chimney flue system. The flue system is designed to move hot gases out of the water heater and furnace.
Either it goes up the chimney or it will condensate and leak back down into the ceilings and wall of living space or back into your basement. Your chimney flue may have been improperly sized. For a new furnace or hot water heater replacement and possible water is now running out onto the basement floor.
If the chimney flue is blocked this will also cause condensation water problems. You may ask what could cause this blockage, it could be broken chimney flue liners or bird or animal nesting blockage. This is why we always recommend a properly sized chimney cap. We also recommend sizing along with a bird screening on every chimney top.
For every 100.000 BTU of natural gas that is burned, it produces about 1 gallon of water.
To summarise all of this up for you,
In conclusion, we have identified water problems. I have offered you some reasonable solutions.
Therefore, if you still have questions about water problems, check out our Ask the Chimney Blogs!
Schedule with us to get your water problem taken care of!