Your chimney is made up of brick or stone and mortar. Pretty much indestructible, right? Unfortunately, not really. Your chimney is made to stand up under the effects of weather, but, over time, even the best built chimney will begin to show disrepair and damage. As time passes, it’s important to take a proactive approach to make sure that your chimney will stand the test of time and that you will be able to enjoy your fireplace for long years to come.
How Does My Chimney Get Damaged?
Whether your chimney is made up of bricks or blocks, these building blocks are porous. An even bigger problem in terms of porousness is the mortar used to hold those bricks or blocks together. Even stone chimneys, though less susceptible to the effects of precipitation, can absorb water over time because of the mortar holding the stone together. Precipitation is the key factor when discussing chimney deterioration.
Precipitation in the form of rain can be damaging to your chimney, but even more damaging is the effect of the freeze-thaw cycle on your chimney. As the Chimney Safety Institute of America website tells us, “Masonry materials deteriorate quickly when exposed to the freeze/thaw process, in which moisture that has penetrated the materials periodically freezes and expands causing undue stress.”
How Do I Know If My Chimney Is Damaged?
If you’re worried that your chimney might be damaged, there are signs that you can look for. The main thing that you may notice is spalling. According to Chimneys.com, spalling refers to the flaking, peeling, or cracking that you can see on the surface of the bricks of your chimney; this is a sign that moisture has entered your bricks and is causing a breakdown. Another sign is crumbling of the mortar between the bricks, stones, or blocks. Soft, crumbly mortar is a sure sign that there is water penetration damage.
Yearly Inspections
It’s difficult to underestimate the importance of having your chimney inspected on a yearly basis by CSIA certified inspectors. These experts, such as those at Chimney Doctors of Colorado are specially trained to detect the signs of water damage and to do what it takes to correct the problem so that you can be worry-free when it comes to the durability of your chimney.
Waterproofing
A great way to make sure that your chimney is protected from water damage is to have it waterproofed. CSIA makes it clear that it is important to use a product that not only waterproofs the exterior of your chimney, but also allows the vapors that form from using your fireplace to escape. Chimney Doctors of Colorado use only the best product to ensure that your chimney is protected: ChimneySaver. ChimneySaver is 100% water permeable, mildew and fungus resistant, offers protection from the freeze/thaw cycle, and is environmentally friendly. The professionals at Chimney Doctors of Colorado use ChimneySaver to ensure that your chimney has the best waterproofing treatment in the industry.
Be proactive when dealing with leaky chimneys. Call the experts at Chimney Doctors of Colorado and make sure that the waterproofing is done right!