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At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

 

Reasons for Chimney Leaks and What to Do About Them

#1 The Simplest Cause of Chimney Leaking: Rain Going Straight In from the Top

It’s not hard to picture that.  Chimneys without covers get a lot of rain falling straight down into them.  A chimney cover makes sense to most people.  Not only does it keep the rain out, but keeps birds, animals and debris out.  The greatest value of the chimney cover is really keeping these out because when chimneys get blocked at the bottom, people get sick (or even die) from CO poisoning.

#2 Many Chimney Leaks are from Cracks in the Chimney Crown

The chimney crown is the cement part on top of the chimney.  The bricks go up around the tile flue liners, but at the top you need something to stop the rain and snow from just falling in around the tiles.  You can see that the very purpose of the chimney crown is to keep rain out. Cracks in the chimney crown can occur from shifting of the structure or from shrinkage dating back to the first day the crown was put on. When your crown has cracks, the water goes right through those cracks.

#3 Chimney Flashing Causes Leaks

The flashing is what keeps water from going into the place where the brick structure comes through the roof (or otherwise comes close to the roof.)  There’s a fairly large gap between the bricks and the roof and water will pour through that hole if it’s not sealed up.  Flashing is often aluminum that goes in between a couple bricks and bends to go on top of the shingles.  Some sort of water proof sealant seals those spots.  Though it’s far from the best choice, it is often tar.  In any event, flashing doesn’t last forever and the tar lasts even less time.

#4 Chimney Leaks Caused by Leaking Bricks

Bricks and mortar both pass water, and often lots of it.  The problem here is the same as with the crown- the freezing and thawing all winter long with the resulting damage which causes leaks in the house.

You have probably heard of waterproofing a chimney, but you have to be careful about what waterproofing material to use.  When water is absorbed into a brick or a mortar joint in the summer time, the water probably dries out after a while.  The exceptions might be for a surface in the shade or on the side of the house where the sun never shines; those walls just stay wet.  That water does try to escape by “falling” i.e. the water weight (or head pressure) carries it toward the ground where it forces its way out of the bricks either inside or outside of the house.

If you apply a waterproofing material that physically blocks the pores of the brick or mortar, the water is trapped inside the brick.  Some bricks actually get soggy, though it’s more likely that the water will just seep to the inside of the house.

#5 Chimney Leaks That Aren’t Chimney Leaks

Sometimes, a leak starts in a different place but finds its way to the chimney, and then visibly enters the inside of a room at the point of the chimney.

For example, your roof might have a leak through the attic vent or roof shingle at the top.  Water could get into the attic or above your ceiling and either drip to the floor or roll along the stringer (the long piece of wood that spaces out the roof trusses and runs the length of your house).  If the stringer is un-level, water can travel a ways – and even wind up at the chimney.  It has happened, and usually isn’t discovered until people have spent a terrible sum fixing everything else.