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WHY WATERPROOFING YOUR CHIMNEY IS NECESSARY
Your chimney plays an important role in protecting your home against wind, rain, fire and anything else mother nature tries to throw at it. A well-built chimney can last for many years, but you need to put the work into maintaining your chimney for a long life. Waterproofing your chimney can keep it functioning smoothly for years. Most masonry chimneys are designed with bricks or stone with mortar or cement to bond the materials. This helps create a structure that is virtually impenetrable. However, water can still compromise the integrity of these materials, as these bricks are made from soft, porous material. The hard outer shell that is added on to waterproof the brick eventually weakens overtime from constant exposure to heat and cold, wind, rain, and snow. Gradually, water will start to seep through, penetrating the flue and causing damage to other chimney components.
Why Water is your Chimney’s Worst Enemy
Chimney leaks are a frustrating problem for many homeowners. While water can enter the chimney from just about anywhere, the most vulnerable points by far are the brick and mortar joints. The damage caused by the moisture that accumulates in a chimney system can be extremely expensive to repair and can even result in a devastating chimney or house fire. When the chimney goes neglected for years, it may begin to lean as the foundation of the home shifts. This can cause damage to the structure of the home as the chimney starts to separate from the flashing material attached to the roof.
For these reasons, it is extremely important to protect your chimney masonry from water exposure. Many professionals suggest homeowners apply a waterproof sealer to protect against water damage. However, it’s important to remember that the waterproof coating will need to be reapplied every five years, as it will wear over time and begin to lose its effectiveness.
Extending the Life of your Masonry Chimney
Homeowners can extend the life of their chimney by avoiding high pressure power washing. This is because the high pressure from the water can crack the hard surface of the brick, causing damage to the effectiveness of waterproofing. Instead, the exterior portion should be cleaned using a low pressure hose and mild detergent.
Here are a few other ways you can protect your chimney:
Install a Chimney Cap
Installing a chimney cap at the top of your chimney is a simple way to keep moisture from penetrating. The chimney cap (also known as a chimney topper) prevents rainwater from entering your home through your chimney. Rain can cause the different components of your chimney, like the damper as an example, to start rusting.
Maintain the Health of your Mortar
Mortar is used to seal chimney masonry. Once it begins to flake, crumble, and decay, moisture creeps into the masonry. Repeated freeze and thaw cycles that occur during the cold season can cause the masonry to pop off. If not repaired, the chimney can start to lean and eventually collapse. Tuckpointing is a repair technique used to replace damaged areas with strong mortar while leaving the masonry in place. This creates a stronger structure and helps freshen up the look of the chimney.
Flashing
The flashing on your chimney is the metal portion located between the roof and chimney; it acts as a watertight seal. Flashing can be challenging to install properly. Even if the flashing is properly installed, the metal can still begin to rust. Even a very small leak can create huge problems. Your flashing should be checked regularly by a professional chimney technician. These experts will be able to spot moisture problems and other hidden damage.
Why do my bricks need to be waterproof?
A common misconception is that bricks need to breathe, but this isn’t the case. Bricks are a very porous material, which means there are plenty of entry points for water. Once water gets in, it can erode the bricks and cause them to crumble. So, your bricks need to be sealed and waterproof to keep them looking pristine and sound.
Isn’t my chimney cap enough?
Think of your chimney cap as a wide-brimmed hat you wear to the beach. While the hat shields your face from the sun, it doesn’t protect the rest of your body. A chimney cap is much the same. While it can protect the top of your chimney from downpours, it won’t protect the rest of the stack. So even if your chimney is surrounded by siding, you should protect it by ensuring there are no cracks or easy entries for water.
Masonry Sealing
The most basic waterproofing is to have the masonry on your chimney sealed. As mentioned above, the materials can be purchased for as low as $60 and applied with a sprayer and brush. For porous masonry (meaning the material absorbs moisture), a liquid-based formula—like a siloxane—works well to block water from entering the masonry. A siloxane product also allows water vapor to escape. You want the water vapor to escape so that in freezing temperatures, trapped water will not expand and cause cracking. Different products may be recommended for other types of non-porous masonry, such as stucco or paints rated for use on a chimney.
Chimney Crown
The chimney crown is another component that shouldn’t be ignored. As the name implies, the crown is found at the top of lying horizontally. Waterproofing the chimney crown takes quite a different approach. Because it’s a horizontal surface, a more thorough waterproofing job needs to be done. Special coating materials are applied over the chimney crown. However, the crown needs to be prepared for proper application. Preparation will necessitate the use of wire brushes to get dirt and moss off the surface. With most and dirt removal completed, the chimney crown is wetted before proper application of waterproofing material is performed.
Chimney Waterproofing Lifespan
Waterproofing a chimney is expected to achieve an objective. In other words, such protection is expected to last for a considerable period of time. In most situations, you should have at least 2 decades of protection from water exposure. However, the lifespan is significantly lower in areas having significant weathering action. For such situations, the length or duration of time for waterproofing is significantly lower. Chimney waterproofing is an important protective action performed to extend the condition of chimneys.
Excess moisture is known to cause all sorts of problems for chimneys. This doesn’t have to be so if you adopt maintenance procedures like waterproofing.
CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004
