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HOW TO PREVENT CHIMNEY BRICK DAMAGE

Chimneys can seem like sturdy structures, but have you ever seen one that looks like it’s tottering?  Exterior chimneys are subject to all kinds of harsh conditions, and moisture can cause the greatest amount of damage.  Homeowners often neglect chimney maintenance, and the result can be decaying bricks in danger of collapsing.  Chimney brick damage is something that can be prevented, though the task requires vigilance. Learn more below.

BRICKS AND MOISTURE

When a chimney is built correctly, various elements of the structure contribute to the difficult task of keeping water out of the highly porous brick masonry.  If the mortar deteriorates, the chimney crown cracks, a chimney cap was never installed, a crack splits the brick structure, or the metal flashing was installed incorrectly, moisture will get into the bricks.  Then, the water inside the bricks freezes and thaws in winter, causing movement as it expands and contracts.  Spalling eventually occurs, which means the face of the brick breaks and pops off.  If bricks containing water aren’t replaced, they continue to deteriorate, resulting in a leaning or collapsed chimney.

WATERPROOF YOUR CHIMNEY

At a point when your chimney is in a state of good repair, schedule waterproofing with a professional.  It’s essential that the waterproofing products used are formulas specially made for chimneys.  These materials are vapor permeable, which is important because they allow the chimney to breathe. Many waterproofing products come with a warranty.

SCHEDULE ANNUAL CHIMNEY INSPECTIONS & NEEDED REPAIRS

Annual chimney inspections are very important, according to all of the leading fire prevention experts in the U.S.  During an inspection, your chimney expert can identify damage that can’t be spotted by laypersons.  Schedule any types of chimney repairs that are needed to prevent further damage from occurring.  Not making needed repairs only makes them that much more expensive later on.

HAVE A CHIMNEY CAP INSTALLED

If your chimney doesn’t have a chimney cap or if the existing chimney cap is damaged, don’t wait to have a chimney cap installed.  There are multiple advantages of having a chimney cap, and the number one benefit is that these accessories keep rain and snow from falling directly into your chimney.  One of the ways in which moisture does its worst is when the water mixes with acidic creosote deposits in the flue and causes deterioration of the chimney liner.  A damaged chimney liner puts your home and family at risk every time the fireplace is used. The bricks in the hearth can also be damaged when water drips down the flue and into the fireplace.

Your chimney is designed to protect you from a range of potential safety hazards.  If something is wrong with your chimney, you will need to get it repaired as soon as possible.  There are a range of problems which you may experience if you do not make the necessary chimney repair.

HOW YOUR CHIMNEY WORKS

Your chimney is designed to draw combustible gases out of your home.  If it does not do this, then obviously, the gases will leak back inside your home. These gases can be hazardous to your health, especially carbon monoxide.  Carbon monoxide levels can build up in your home without you being aware of it since you cannot see, smell, or taste it.

Your chimney also draws out hot air from your home.  If excess heat stays around, then it is possible that a fire could be started in your home. Therefore, you will need to look into chimney repair to keep this from happening.

CHIMNEY MORTAR

The chimney’s mortar is prone to weathering and erosion.  The chimney’s brick and mortar may weaken at any time.  Experts should repair masonry damage in the chimney.  Loose bricks are easy to fix and repair.   A chimney expert can remove the dirt that piled up over the years; excess heat and smoke can damage the mortar.  The flue which is the most important part of the chimney where the smoke travels can be dangerous, so it is best to leave its cleaning and repair to an expert.  The cap is the metal covering found at the top of the chimney to prevent birds, wind, and critters from going inside.

 

CHIMNEY CROWN

A damaged chimney crown can also prevent water penetration.  It is the top part of the masonry chimney and also serves as a chimney wash. It covers the top of your chimney from the flue to the chimney edge.  Water can penetrate the chimney crown if it starts to crack, wash away, or is damaged. Most crowns actually suffer from cracks immediately due to shrinkage.  A chimney crown should be sealed with a cement mixture to prevent it from damaging soon. Waterproof cement is also available and can avoid shrinking effectively. v Flashing, also, is where water can enter through into your house. Flashing is the edge that separates the chimney from your roof.

FLASHING FOR YOUR CHIMNEY

Flashing and counter-flashing is the effective way of flashing your chimney.  These two methods avoid breaking the seal in both the roof and chimney.  Most masonry chimneys are made of bricks that can absorb water like a sponge. Waterproof products have been developed for use to prevent chimney damage.  These products are vapor permeable.  They allow bricks to breathe out excess water to avoid further absorption, therefore, preventing the water from going inside from the outside.

Sealing Brick Chimney

One of the central issues concerning waterproofing is the porosity of the material being waterproofed.  This makes sense: you don’t have to waterproof steel or vinyl because water doesn’t penetrate them in the first place.  While bricks are generally less porous than many other materials (like a cinder block) different types of bricks vary in porosity themselves.

How is chimney waterproofing applied?

Waterproofing is applied with a sprayer.  On the vertical walls, i.e. most of the chimney, waterproofing should be applied from bottom to top because as the waterproofing material comes out of the sprayer it runs down the chimney and gets absorbed into the chimney below the area being working on.  It amounts to doing it twice.  Obviously, the top needs extra attention or it’d only get one pass.  After you finish about 10 minutes’ worth, do it again just to make sure the whole structure gets a good soaking. Special considerations should be given to breast walls, re-application, the crown, the flashing area and the mortar joints.

Sealing a Chimney Crown

The chimney crown is an almost flat surface and it’s made of concrete or mortar.  It shouldn’t be made of mortar, but there’s a good chance that it is anyway.  A crown requires more than ordinary waterproofing.

The crown is rather porous.  If you’re lucky the crown will be made of concrete and will have been worked in a way that makes the top quite smooth and non-porous.  But on average, crowns are fairly porous and have more exposure to rain and snow than all of the rest of the chimney, and accordingly more problems that the rest of the chimney as well.  There are coatings made specifically for crowns.  Regardless of the brand being used, crown preparation is key.  All the moss and dirt must be wire-brushed away.  The crown should be wetted down before the material is applied.  Crown coatings applied to dry surfaces don’t develop the necessary bond you’re looking for.  Large cracks should be caulked with high resin filler before the crown coat is applied.