The 5 Most Common Chimney Issues

January 13, 2019

This article will help you identify the five most common issues that will occur with ownership of a chimney. If you experience any of these issues, contact your local chimney sweep to help resolve them immediately.

  1. Creosote

Owning a wood burning fireplace and can be very relaxing and great way to keep your home warm during the winter months.  With burning real that creates smoke, which travels up the chimney creating creosote. Creosote is a mixture of tar and soot that lines the inside of your chimney and can cause a danger of fire if built up over time. The good news is that creosote is typically easily fixable if your chimney is cleaned and inspected regularly. By doing so you will be in far less of a risk of fire as well keeping yourself from having performance issues.

  1. Obstructions

Having a blocked chimney can come from many factors, including birds, chimneys that have fallen in on themselves, leaves or debris of any kind. This is dangerous because this can cause smoke and other fumes to come back into the home if they are not allowed to exit the chimney properly. For this reason, is it recommended you have your chimney capped and inspected to ensure there are no obstructions.

  1. Cracks in the mortar or masonry

If your chimney has not been inspected in a while, you may experience issues with water entering the chimney due to a breakdown of the joints in your bricks. This is an issue as where anywhere where water can sit will breakdown the mortar of time. Making sure you have your chimney protected from moisture can prevent this issue. By regularly having your chimney inspected, you can help protect the mortar on your home.

  1. Chimney Flashing

If your chimney has flashing where the roof meets the chimney, it is important to make sure that the proper flashing was used, and that the flashing was installed properly to prevent water damage to your home.

  1. Damaged Flue

The flue of your chimney is the liner inside your chimney that allows smoke to flow smoothly out of your home. If your flue is damaged you can run the risk of a chimney fire or fumes backing up into your home. Having your chimney inspected to make sure that your chimney does not need repaired or replaced can keep your family safe from issues with your chimney.