Protect Your Chimney from Costly Leaks This Winter

Preventing water penetration of your chimney becomes very serious in the winter because of the amount of damage that can occur. Water is the greatest enemy of your masonry chimney, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), and spalling damage from water leaks is one of the reason they made this statement. Spalling happens when water that has penetrated into the masonry materials of your chimney freezes and expands during the winter. When the temperature rises and this water thaws out, it causes the bricks and mortar to crack apart and break. Repeated cycles of spalling damage over just one winter season can cause your chimney to deteriorate to the point where it could possibly collapse. This is why it is so important to protect your chimney from costly water leaks during the winter. Chim Cheree, The Chimney Specialists understand how essential the prevention of water penetration of your chimney is, and we would like to tell you some of the ways we can protect your chimney this winter.

Chimney Caps and Crowns

Located at the very top of your chimney, both of these components are designed to direct water away from the inside of your chimney. A chimney crown is made of mortar, and like all masonry materials, it can become cracked and damaged from water exposure. Chim Cheree, The Chimney Specialists can repair cracks in chimney crowns and then apply a water repelling formula to prevent further damage. If the crown has been cracked beyond repair, we can construct you a new chimney crown to protect your chimney. A chimney cap is located over the flue opening on your chimney crown. Made from metal, a cap not only keeps out water from rain and melted snow, but it also keeps animals from getting into your chimney to nest for the winter. We sell and install a wide variety of chimney caps and can recommend which kind of cap will best protect your chimney.

Flashing

Sheets of metal placed around your chimney where it meets the roof, flashing serves to keep water from getting into your chimney at the roofline. If you do not have a flashing system, Chim Cheree can customize and install one for you. We also make customized repairs to existing systems to best protect chimneys from water leaks.

Waterproofing

One of the best ways to protect the masonry materials of your chimney from costly water leaks, waterproofing is a service we offer at Chim Cheree, The Chimney Specialists. We use a 100% vapor permeable formula from ChimneySaver that is guaranteed to prevent water from penetrating the bricks and mortar of your chimney. When we apply our waterproofing agent to your entire chimney, we help to prolong its life by protecting it from devastating and expensive spalling damage.

Protect your chimney this winter from costly water leaks. Contact us to ensure you are using the best preventive measures against water penetration.