A house is susceptible to different kinds of disasters and chimney leakage tops them all. It is a problem which is common among every single house and people eventually end up spending a ton of money on chimney leaks repair. Before you invite any chimney contractor to your house, you must be able to evaluate the problem yourself.
Chimney Leaks Reasons
There are a hundred different reasons for a chimney leak and here are a few of them:
- Incorrect Flashing Installment
A flashing is a metal which provides a seal between the rooftop and chimney to make it waterproof. Sometimes, the installment of this flashing is not done properly which eventually causes the chimney to leak. Another problem occurs when flashing gets rusted and the leakage takes place. Chimney leaks can be very harmful for your home structure and it could cost you a lot of money to repair this damage. Therefore, it has been recommended by the chimney contractors to first inspect the area around the chimney and then use it.
- Deterioration of Mortar
A mortar is basically a material that keeps the bricks or masonry tightly bonded together. The life of mortar is hardly 25 years after which it starts to pour in moisture into the house structure affecting every single thing that comes in its way. Similarly, a chimney leak can also be a result of a deteriorated mortar which makes a chimney leak repair necessary.
- No Chimney Cap
A chimney cap is one of the most important parts in a chimney which protects it from moisture, dust and insects. Absence of a cap can cause moisture problems that could be harmful for your house walls. If there is no chimney cap then raindrops are likely to hit the chimney directly, making the situation even worse!
- Cracked Crown
At the top of the chimney, there is a surface made of cement called crown. Over a period of time, this cement gets cracked which makes it easier for the water to flow into these cracks. The moisture this flow causes, damages the ceilings and house structure. However, our chimney contractors suggest a chimney inspection every single year to get repair services.
How To Do Chimney Leak Repair?
Getting an excellent chimney leak repair is not as over whelming as it sounds. You can perform the following tasks in order get rid of chimney leaks:
Get a Better Flashing
There are way better materials for flashing in the market today. For sealing purpose, get the best quality material and most importantly hire the finest chimney technicians to fix it for you. The right installment is very important to avoid chimney leaks.
Masonry Absorption Test (Mat)
Masonry Absorption Test (MAT) is a test conducted to determine if your chimney has a leakage through the masonry surface. This test is performed with the help of a test tube which is connected to a side of the chimney and then time starts to record the amount of water absorbing into the wall. This basically allows you to decide whether you want a waterproof chimney or not!
Chimney Cover
Hire a professional to fix a chimney cover, preferably best quality and low chances of cracks, over the chimney to protect it from rainfall and storms. Avoid the big hassle and look for the best cover in town to protect your home from falling apart.
Crown Coating Materials
Once the chimney crown is cracked, even a little, no power in the entire world would be able to mend it and as suggested by technicians, a replacement would be the best option since you cannot always keep holding together things which will break out eventually. However, you can make this crown long-lasting by using crown coating materials that cover the masonry and prevents it from small cracks which get deeper and apparently larger in winters.
So, inspect your attic right now and look for any clues that might help you to understand the kind of problems your chimney might be facing. Check the crown, sealing, flashing and anything that seems a little unusual or problematic for the future. Hire the best chimney contractors to get the perfect installation of chimney parts and chimney leak repair MD.
