Your roof’s most prominent feature is also ironically its biggest threat. Problems stemming from a poorly maintained chimney – whether it be bad masonry, cracked edges, or even a possible chimney fire – can cause major damage to the rest of your house, especially your roof.  We were recently contacted by a homeowner in Columbia, MD who had a damaged chimney that affected their roof. 

Many homes have a chimney, even if they no longer have a fireplace. Some homeowners like to keep their chimney because of the character it provides their home, while others have one because they still have an active fireplace.

No matter what side you fall on, there are several things you need to know about chimneys even if you don’t use your fireplace all that often. Basic things like weather damage can wear down your chimney over time, often leading to other major problems down the line. And when it comes to your roof, a poorly maintained chimney can cause roof damage, which can be extremely costly.

Let’s set the record straight.

Routinely maintaining your chimney and calling in professional chimney sweepers goes a long way to preventing a ton of costly roof repairs in the future. In this article, we are going to discuss:

• The different problems related to bad chimneys
• Various causes for these problems.
• The types of damage they can cause your roof if left unchecked.

When it comes to protecting your roof, knowledge, and awareness are key. The sooner you can detect major problems, the sooner you can solve them, and prevent additional damage.

Chimney Fires

Chimney fires are unfortunately common for homeowners who neglect essential maintenance. A chimney fire can spread to your roof and the rest of your home easily.

What Are Some Signs That It’s Happening?

Common indications include:

• Loud crackling and popping
• A low rumbling sound coming from the fireplace
• Dense smoke
• A pungent, burning scent invading your home

However, some chimney fires are barely audible and hard to notice early on, so taking the right preventative measures is vital.

What Can Cause It?

Over time, heavy weather can break down the structure of a chimney. However, flue lining damage is a major culprit for fires. Flue lining is the material used in masonry to prevent heat from becoming trapped in the chimney. Seeping water can damage this lining, causing thin slices of tile to collect at the bottom.

Also, creosote, a black material with a tar-like texture that collects in your fireplace, can build up as well. Creosote forms naturally the more you use your fireplace and can thicken to several inches over time. The material itself is flammable and thus a major fire hazard. Creosote buildup can also choke your chimney of airflow, making your fireplace much less effective.

How Can I Prevent It?

Calling a sweeper is one method. Damage to flue lining can be difficult to spot, so professional chimney sweepers use specialized cameras to check for cracks and other damage within the chimney itself.

Also, you’ll want to consider getting stainless steel flue liners, which are popular with homeowners since they tend to last a long time and come with generous warranties.

But in general, you can’t beat regular inspections and cleaning. Like anything in life, being proactive will save you a lot of headaches down the line.

Decaying Masonry

Whether we like it or not, masonry does break down over time. Depending on which region you live, your masonry will wear down from the effects of weathering.

What Can Cause It?

Inclement weather can chip away at stone and brick, especially near the mouth of your chimney. Even basic rain can seep into the cement between the bricks, which, when frozen in cold weather, contributes to cracking.

How Can It Damage My Roof?

Broken cement can fall onto your roof. Plus, the chimney’s weakened structure can collapse over time, posing a threat to not only your roof but also passers-by on the ground.

If your chimney does break off and collapse, it can cause extensive damage to your roof as the weight of it can collapse other areas of your roof, damage your shingles and tiles, and much more.

Water Damage

Water damage is one of those things that terrified homeowners across the world. When it comes to your chimney, water damage can erode it, causing it to crack, and in extreme cases, break off completely.

How Can It Damage My Roof?

As stated on sheltonroofing.com, sometimes cement and tar aren’t enough to keep water out. If your chimney is leaking water, the damage can eat into the roof around the chimney quickly. If water is gathering around your chimney, there is a good chance that it will rot your roof away with it.

What Can Cause It?

Decayed chimney flashing is a leading cause. Flashing is the material applied to the base of the chimney to prevent water from seeping into your attic.

What Are Some Signs That It’s Happening?

• Chimney spalling, or the flaking of brick and stone. This symptom is easily seen on your roof where shards of your chimney collect.
• Efflorescence, an official term used in construction to refer to salts encrusted on brick and mortar that show up when water seeps through the masonry.
• Damaged wallpaper in the house near the chimney

How Can I Prevent It?

Even well-designed chimney flashing needs to be maintained every now and again, so call a professional team like the All Pro Chimney Service team if you ever notice rusty spots or holes in the flashing.

Also consider getting a chimney cricket, a small feature on your roof that diverts rainwater and debris away from the chimney as they flow down the roof.

Animal Infestation

What Can Cause It?

When your chimney cap is damaged or missing, the open and exposed chimney mouth is practically an invitation for squirrels, rodents, insects, and other wildlife to enter and make a home. Birds can also build nests in chimneys, causing a blockage.

How Can It Damage My Roof?

Animals living in your attic can chew at your insulation and other parts of your roofing, so get that cover repaired as soon as you can. Additionally, a chimney cap can also prevent water from entering.

Calling the Experts

A lot of the damage-inflicting your chimney and roof are difficult to see from the ground, and since climbing onto the roof, yourself is dangerous. If you’re inexperienced when it comes to roof repairs, we recommend you call an experienced roofing company. Like chimney repairs, an experienced roofing company will know how to fix any problems you are experiencing with your roof properly.

All Pro Chimney Service offers dedicated roof repair services to customers in the Baltimore and DC Metro areas. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your chimney, its condition, and how you can maintain and stay ahead of potential problems.

As a homeowner, it is important to schedule yearly professional chimney inspections. In addition, it is wise to keep a close eye on your chimney in-between inspections.  We recently received a call from a homeowner in Columbia, MD who noticed that her chimney was damaged.  Seeing the problem and getting her chimney repairs early saved her a lot of money.  Watch for these six problems, which typically indicate that your chimney needs repairs.

1. Damaged Mortar Joints

This is a problem may need to be seen from the rooftop in order to be noticed.  As as result, it may be best handled by a professional chimney sweep company.  A good repair technician will look for any kind of damage to the mortar joints between the masonry of the chimney. If there is damage, it needs to be repaired as soon as possible given the following:

• Mortar joints that are damaged cause the bricks to suffer from exposure to moisture.
• Moisture that enters small cracks can lead to larger cracks.
• Freezing and thawing over the course of the winter speeds up this process.
• Failure to repair damaged mortar could result in the chimney collapsing.

2. Rusted Damper or Firebox

Moisture in your chimney or fireplace is a clear sign that your chimney is not working properly. You can check for this problem by being vigilant for the following:

• Checking to see if there is rust in the firebox or damper.
• Another sign of rust and excess moisture in your chimney is if your damper becomes challenging to operate or doesn’t seem to be sealing correctly.
• Rusting indicates that there is too much moisture in your chimney, which is a serious problem.  Rust can damage the chimney liner. Flue tiles can crack, and this cracking and deterioration in the flue lining can lead to a house fire. 

3. Spalling Bricks

Spalling happens when water gets into brick, concrete, or natural stone and causes the masonry’s surface to either peel off or pop out. Salt is also known to cause spalling.  You can identify spalling by the observing bits of masonry coming off from the chimney. Without repairs, spalling can lead to more crumbling and, ultimately, the destruction of the chimney.

4. Shaling Flue Tiles

Shaling is another problem and sign of chimney damage that you should check for inside your fireplace:

• Shaling can occur when your chimney liner is damaged.  Liner damage results in bits of tile from the chimney piling up at the bottom of the fireplace.

• Shaling flue tiles are more easy to spot than cracked flue liners. Often, checking for cracked flue liners involves a professional chimney sweep using a special camera. The camera allows the chimney repair tech to identify potential problems in the flue that cannot be easily spotted by other means.
• If you notice shaling or suspect cracked flue tiles, your chimney needs repairs.

5. Cracked Chimney Crown

The chimney crown is the top part of your chimney.  The crown serves a critical role in protecting the chimney structure from the elements.  As such, it is important that the chimney crown is kept in good condition. Checking for damage requires that you go to the rooftop or hire a professional chimney sweep. The following problems can occur if the chimney crown is damaged:

• Water can get inside, freeze and thaw, and create bigger cracks.
• Moisture can come into the space between the chimney and liner, which can lead to deterioration of the masonry.
• Weatherproofing the chimney crown as well as the chimney is a helpful step you can take to guard against this problem.

6. Damage to Wallpaper

Damage to wallpaper that’s close to the chimney may be due to excess moisture in the chimney. If you notice this problem, make sure your chimney is inspected and repaired as soon as possible.

Being on the lookout for these issues and contacting a professional chimney sweep at the first sign of these problems can save you from your expensive

Many homeowners don’t realize that their chimney requires regular maintenance in the form of inspections and cleanings. Usually, these homeowners are blissfully unaware of the importance of chimney maintenance until they end up with a chimney leak.  Periodic heavy rains often result in the need for chimney repairs in Washington DC homes.   These leaks can be quite damaging and costly if not caught early, which is why it’s good for all homeowners to be aware of the most common causes of chimney leaks, how to avoid them, and what to do in the event of a leak.

Common Causes of Chimney Leaks

A chimney leak occurs when water is allowed to bypass the liner of the chimney and find its way into your home. The resulting water damage can be expensive to repair, especially if it has been going on for a long time and has reached the wood framing of your home’s walls. Take a moment to become familiar with these common causes of chimney leaks. From there, you can take steps to avoid them in your own home.

Cracked Chimney Crown

A chimney crown refers to the cement part that runs along the top of a chimney and wraps around the vent. Crowns are very effective at keeping moisture away until they begin to chip and crack, which is inevitable over time. When cracks form in the chimney crown, water can gradually begin to make its way down the chimney flue and directly into your home.

Not all chimneys have crowns (some has covers, as will be explained in the next section). However, if your chimney has a crown, it’s a good idea to inspect it at least once a year for cracks and chips. If you live in an area that sees all four seasons, the best time to inspect is during the spring, as water freezes and thaws in even tiny cracks during the winter months.  

Small cracks can occasionally be caulked and patched, though more extensive damage may call for a total replacement of the crown by an experienced chimney repair company.  The best chimney repair companies use floating cast crowns. 

Lack of Chimney Cover

For chimneys that don’t have a cement crown, there should be a chimney cover in place. These covers are usually made of metal or aluminum and are placed directly on top of the chimney vent with a tight fit around the vent itself. These covers prevent rain and other precipitation (not to mention pests) from traveling straight down into your chimney but have ventilation built into the sides to allow proper ventilation (especially while you’re using your fireplace). 

Unfortunately, chimney covers can go missing or deteriorate over time. This is especially common in older covers that are made of metal, which can rust and corrode. The good news is that replacing a missing cover is relatively simple and inexpensive when done by a reputable chimney repair company.

Cracks in Brick and Mortar

Chimneys are usually constructed of brick that is held together by mortar, and these are very durable materials. Still, over time, the cement holding the brick and mortar together can crack and crumble (just as it can on chimney crowns). When this occurs on the chimney structure itself, water can penetrate the chimney and gradually, the structural integrity of the chimney can even be lost. If you can see cracks or “wavy” areas of your home’s chimney, there’s a good chance that this type of leak is already happening. Because brick is a naturally porous material, it’s not a matter of “if” brick will eventually give way to cracking and crumbling, but “when.”

Applying a special brick sealant to the chimney is a temporary way to stop water from entering your home, but eventually, a long-term solution will need to be done by a chimney repair service.

Bad Roof Flashing

Finally, perhaps the most common cause of chimney leaks in residential buildings is that of bad roof flashing. When roofing is installed on a home with a chimney, a waterproof material known as flashing is installed around the chimney before the roofing shingles are put on top. Unfortunately, poor installation or even deterioration over time can render flashing ineffective. There are several things that can cause chimney flashing to leak.  Find out more here. 

When this occurs, water can seep into the chimney flue right around the base of the chimney where it meets the roof of the home. This is a repair that can be completed by a roofing or chimney company, as new flashing will need to be installed.

Telltale Signs of Chimney Leaks

The best way to avoid chimney leaks is to have your chimney inspected at least once a year for the most common causes. Still, in between inspections, there are some “red flags” homeowners should watch out for that could indicate the start of a leak in the home.

Peeling Paint or Wallpaper

One of the most common signs of a chimney leak is that of peeling paint or wallpaper inside the home near the chimney flue itself. Homeowners may notice peeling or bubbling paint around a home’s fireplace, which is likely caused by moisture inside the flue. If you have wallpaper on the walls near your fireplace, you may also notice it beginning to bubble or peel, especially at points where two pieces of wallpaper come together.

Spots of Discoloration

Before the paint starts to peel, you may also notice odd, discolored spots on ceilings or walls near a chimney flue in the home. On a white ceiling or wall, these spots will appear yellow or tan. They will darken over time as water damage becomes more widespread and serious.

Chimney Settlement or Collapse

While getting up on top of your roof and inspecting your chimney yourself may not be advised, you can conduct a quick visual inspection of your chimney from the ground in most cases. If your chimney appears to be tilting to one side, warped, or visibly settling, you’re most likely going to have water leaking into your home.

Wood and Framing Rot

When water damage inside the home progresses, you could even end up with more serious structural issues, including rotting out of the wood that makes up your home’s framing. The most obvious sign of rotted framing will be bulging or warped drywall, but only ripping out the drywall and inspecting the framing underneath will determine the extent of the damage. In some cases, mold or mildew will also become an issue in the home when this occurs.

While these are the most common signs of a leaking chimney, some other possible signs to be on the lookout for include:

• rusted fireplace components
• corrosion of damper assemblies
• stains on chimney exterior

It is important to act quickly when you see signs of a chimney leak, as water damage can spread in the blink of an eye.

What to Do if You Have a Chimney Leak

If you notice any signs of a chimney leak, the only course of action is to contact a professional chimney repair company. Chimney leaks are not something you can repair on your own, and of course, climbing onto your roof can be dangerous. When you call a professional chimney repair company that meets professional standards like these, you can have the peace of mind that the problem will be fixed.  The water leaks will stop and future water damage will be prevented. 

A chimney repair specialist will be able to determine the cause of your leak and advise you on how any water damage inside your home should be repaired. Some repairs that a chimney repair company may be able to assist with include:

• chimney crown repair or replacement
• chimney cover repair or replacement
• repair of brick and mortar cracks
• replacement of chimney liners
• replacement of flashing around the chimney

Furthermore, a professional chimney service will be able to advise you on additional services to protect your home, chimney, and fireplace. For example, many companies offer chimney fireproofing, which involves the sealing of the chimney structure itself to make it less susceptible to damage from water, such as cracking and crumbling. A special sealant must be used to fireproof the chimney, as it is necessary for the sealant not only to keep water from getting in but for continuing to allow gasses to escape. In other words, the sealant must allow the brick to retain its porous structure to gasses but not to water. Waterproofing a chimney is a complex task that should only be done by an experienced professional.

There are so many different problems that can lead to a disastrous water leak in your chimney, but the good news is that they’re all 100% preventative with just a little maintenance and care. Be sure to have your chimney and fireplace inspected by a professional at least once a year, and you’ll be able to avoid many of these issues. Furthermore, if you ever spot signs of a chimney leak, don’t hesitate to call a chimney repair service to get things under control before the leak causes widespread and costly damage to your home.