Water stains on ceiling

Have you recently had a chimney sweep done and now when it rains you notice dripping into your fireplace? With the removal of all the creosote and debris, the water doesn’t have anywhere to go but down your flue. Installing a chimney cap or top-mount damper is an easy fix to this water entry issue.

Have you called a roofer recently because you are noticing bubbling paint and water bleeding through your drywall and you aren’t sure where the leak is coming from? Has the roofer told you it isn’t a roof problem? Has he said he thought you had a leaking chimney that needed attention? He is probably right. Roofers know their trade, and we know chimneys!

From the day they are built, chimneys are exposed to harsh elements and temperature changes and deteriorate if they are not properly protected. Your chimney has numerous areas that can have imperfections causing water to leak into your home. Anderson’s Chimney and Masonry Services specializes in leaking chimney repair. With over 25 years in the business, we know exactly what to look for in identifying any water entry issues.

After finding the cause of your leaking chimney, we will go over any and all findings with you and give you the most cost effective solution to your problem.

When it comes to evaluating your leaking chimney problem we look for the following:

Missing Chimney Cap

The top of your chimney flue is a hole. Usually 8×8 for a furnace or 13×13 for a fireplace. That’s plenty of room for rain and snow to drop right down your chimney into your fireplace. A stainless steel chimney cap not only works like an umbrella to help block rain from coming into your chimney, it also keeps animals from nesting in your flue and it keeps debris out.

Cracked and Missing Mortar Joints

cracked masonry

cracked mortar joints

Mortar joints are the area between the brick or stone that bond everything together. Unfortunately, mortar is very porous and the weak link in any masonry chimney. If we are fixing or repairing the mortar joints, we grind out the joint, clean it with water and then repoint the brick. If any area of the brick or stone are loose, that area needs to be rebuilt.

Brick and Stone

cracked chimney

loose brick separated from mortar joint & cracked crown

Brick and stone come in many styles and shapes. Bricks are very porous. Water can easily soak into brick. This can cause brick spalling and also the brick to crack due to freezing conditions, or even damage the interior of the flue.

Stone is not as porous as brick and when building with stone, the mortar does not adhere and bond to the stones surface very well. This causes small hairline cracks between the joints and the stone.

We use a special water-based repellent called ChimneySaver. ChimneySaver is a WATER REPELLENT, not a water sealer. Sealers can actually damage masonry. ChimneySaver penetrates deep enough to protect masonry from destructive water penetration while maintaining the structure’s vapor permeability. It carries a 10-year warranty and is specially made for chimneys.

Cracked Chimney Crowns

missing chimney cap

cracked crown

Cracks in the top portion of your chimney, also known as the crown are well known areas of water entry and one of the leading causes of leaking chimneys. The crown is made to divert water from resting on the top of the chimney. A new masonry crown can be made and a protective coating can be added. CrownCoat is a brush on sealant, applied to the entire chimney crown. It is formulated to withstand thermal stress and severe weather conditions.

Rusted / Damaged Chase Covers

Prefabbed chimneys don’t have leaking issues as drastically as masonry chimneys do. The first thing we look at for a leaking issue on a prefabricated chimney is a damaged chase cover. If it has rusted and pitted holes, we can easily measure for a replacement cover and install it for you.

Weak Flashing

Flashing is designed to keep water from entering where the chimney meets the roofline. If the flashing around your chimney is worn, corroded, or improperly installed in the first place, water will find its way between the chimney and the roofline causing leakage issues.

We apply a sealant called FlashSeal over the flashing and up onto the chimney (to seal where the flashing meets the bricks) and down onto the roof (to seal where flashing meets the roof). FlashSeal forms a flexible waterproof membrane that is like installing a custom fit rain boot at the base of your chimney. This method will stop all leaks coming from the flashing area. This is the most common form of repairs for this issue.

Left untreated, water entry issues can cause major damage. Give us a call at 717-975-3526 and we will come out at no-cost to you and evaluate the issues you are having. Leaking chimney repair is something we do on a daily basis. Its not an uncommon issue and we would be glad to help you.

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