What Are The Benefits Of Chimney Waterproofing

The materials that are perfect for constructing a sustainable and sturdy chimney also are disastrous for water. Water drastically damages the chimney masonry and causes leakages and cracks. To avoid chimney repair, you should consider waterproofing your chimney.

Do You Need Chimney Waterproofing?

The masonry of your chimney is very much susceptible to damage. Over time if not waterproofed, your chimney may resort to cracks and holes causing leakage, and hence your chimney will not work to its capacity. Water will penetrate inside and outside of your chimney and cause a multitude of problems.

Water will lead to rusting of the masonry, doors, damper, and liner. All of these are made of metals and get rusted due to coming in contact with water.
Stains and discoloration of all the chimney parts and masonry giving a disoriented look.
When the water penetrates the chimney, it causes the mortar to disintegrate and break away thereby causing holes and cracks. When there are holes then there is a freeway entrance for the water to easily go in the chimney and cause further damage.
A chimney cap is used to protect the chimney from debris and external factors. It is usually made of stainless steel or copper. If it gets damaged then it causes your chimney to leak.
The flashing is part of the chimney which lies between the chimney and the roof and ensures that the connection stays waterproof. But after constant contact with water, it goes through severe wear and tear causing the chimney to leak and needs to be replaced or waterproofed.
The water inside the chimney leads to rotting, mildew, and fungus which causes a bad smell in the chimney.

What Are The Advantages Chimney Waterproofing Offers?

Now you know the reasons why it is absolutely necessary to waterproof your chimney. Waterproofing maintains the structure of your chimney and causes it to last a long time and work efficiently. If not waterproofed, then surely there will be cracks which will cause inefficient burning of the fire causing an increase in your bills and your home not getting warm enough. Below are the benefits of waterproofing your chimney:

Avoid Discoloration

Waterproofing your chimney avoids the blackening, discoloration, and stains on the chimney from inside and outside and makes it look new as of since it was installed.

Avoid Mortar Damage

When the chimney is waterproofed, then water is not able to penetrate inside the masonry and parts, thus the mortar stays fixed in place and there are fewer chances of cracks or gaps occurring which causes the structure of the chimney to remain solid and last longer.

In winters the area surrounding the chimney freezes and the masonry may also experience frost and ice which solidifies. This melts in the summers leading to damage from thawing and melting and can lead to cracks and gaps and missing mortar in your chimney. Waterproofing avoids the damage from this freezing and thawing scenario.

Moreover, waterproofing allows your chimney parts to release water vapors and also breathe.

Avoid Rusting

When there is no entry of water then there is no chance of rusting if the masonry and parts of the chimney. Also, there will be no mildew and fungal growth thereby maintaining the internal structure of the chimney.

Avoid Mold Growth

The absorption of water from the vegetation growth and mold surrounding the chimney is avoided.

Avoid Leaning Of The Chimney

After a lot of damage to the structure of the chimney may lean on one side and there is the danger of the chimney collapsing and causing damage to property and life.

Extend Chimney’s Life

Waterproofing helps the chimney to last a long time and ensures its efficient working. If not waterproofed then the masonry and materials of the chimney will get damaged and the structure will begin to disintegrate. When this happens, you will naturally need to repair the masonry and parts which will be very costly.

Conclusion

There are many ways to waterproof a chimney. Your chimney expert will be able to determine the perfect way of waterproofing your chimney after a thorough check. Usually, your exterior masonry and the foundation of the chimney, and the chimney cap are waterproofed. You should instantly get your chimney waterproofed by a reliable chimney contractor Columbia MD before your chimney gets damaged further.

Things You Should Know Before You Hire A Chimney Sweep

Your chimney may appear chimney absolutely fine when you inspect it from your attic or yard. Well, a chimney might appear in good condition from outside but you never know what’s inside? Actually, you cannot predict chimney’s health by simply examining it from outside. You need to hire a chimney sweep for professional inspection, cleaning and repair of your chimney.

Why to hire a professional chimney sweep?

If you want your chimney to properly escape the toxic gases and smoke coming from the fireplace out, your chimney should remain free from any sort of blockages. And to know whether your chimney is functioning properly or not, you will have to hire a professional chimney sweeper. There are many reasons for hiring a chimney sweeper, some of them are:

For professional chimney inspection

The chimney sweeps have tools and skills required for proper chimney inspection. Your chimney may look totally fine from outside, but professional inspection can unveil the anomalies of the chimney. These professionals know the error prone areas of the chimneys. They will bulge out the creosote buildup, cracks debris, bird nests etc. After scheduling the professional inspection, you will learn about the actual health of your chimney.

For fireplace and chimney maintenance

Regular chimney and fireplace maintenance is very much important. The unmaintained and unclean chimney and fireplace are really very unsafe. Both chimney and fireplace should be cleaned and repaired time to time to avoid any sort of fire hazard. If you keep on using your chimney and fireplace without maintenance, one spark can burn your entire premises.

For chimney waterproofing

Chimney waterproofing is another important aspect of chimney maintenance. Water can easily enter inside your building via chimney and result mold growth. The chimney professional can make your chimney waterproof by applying special sealant. This sealant will protect your chimney from snow, rain and moisture. According to Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), hiring chimney sweep service is very important for safety of your home. Homeowners should never avoid chimney and fireplace maintenance. Also, DIY chimney maintenance is also required for keeping your hearth in the better condition throughout the year.

There is nothing cozier than roaring fire of fireplace on the cold winter days. But this fire can be dangerous for your home. Fireplace depends on the chimney for the ventilation of smoke and other by-products of fire. Regular maintenance of chimney is mandatory to keep your family warm and safe. Chimney maintenance is not an easy task. It requires proper tools and skills to inspect, clean and repair the chimney in an adequate manner. Thus, hiring a chimney sweep contractor is the best way of taking care of chimney maintenance.

Why is Chimney Repair so Important?

The main task of chimney is to draw gases and smoke away from the fire of the fireplace. This is not just for convenience, though. The fire smoke can contain harmful and toxic gases like carbon monoxide- colorless and odorless gas. This gas can cause breathing problems, and even death, if inhaled in large quantity. The other task of chimney flue is to keep heat away from building. If your chimney has cracks, heat can leak into the surrounding walls, and result in structural damage or even cause chimney fires.

Common Chimney Repair Issues

Chimneys should be maintained on the regular basis to prevent the creosote buildup. Creosote is a sticky substance released when woods logs are burned in the fireplace. This substance can congeal and build up on the inner walls of your chimney. If left untreated, creosote buildup can start chimney fire. Blockage in chimney flue is another chimney problem that requires immediate attention. It can be caused due to accumulation of debris that falls from above the chimney. Chimney clogging can obstruct with the ability of chimney to expel toxic gases that can leak into the house. Chimney cracks and holes should be repaired on an urgent basis to avoid expensive chimney problems in the future. The water, ice and moisture can easily entire inside your chimney through chimney cracks. The presence of moisture not only rots the structural components of your chimney, but also promotes the growth of mold and mildew inside your chimney. Hire chimney sweep service to avoid all the chimney and fireplace problems.