Chimney Leaks – Louisville KY

Have you noticed signs of water intrusion around your chimney or in your fireplace? Water stains around the fireplace, small pools of water in the firebox, and water in the attic or around the base of the chimney are all indicators of a leaky chimney. Louisville Chimney Sweep can solve the problem! Our professionally trained chimney sweeps will find the leak and fix it before the damage increases.

Potential Causes of Chimney Leaks

Chimney leaks are a common problem here in Louisville. Water can cause a wide range of damage to your home from deteriorating the strength of the chimney’s masonry to damaging nearby walls, ceilings and floors. Water in and around your chimney can also create the perfect breeding ground for toxic mold.

There are many ways that water can get into a chimney. Without a trained eye, the cause can be hard to spot. Here are the most common problems that we come across:

Damaged Flashing – Flashing is the metal component that bridges the gap between the chimney and roof. It prevents rainwater and snow from slipping through the crack between these two structures. If it is broken, damaged or rusting, moisture can freely run through the gap. This water can seep into the masonry and cause damage to nearby structural beams and dry wall.

Missing Chimney Cap – This metal cap sits over the mouth of the chimney. It has a solid top that allows rainwater and snow to slide down it instead of falling into your chimney. Without it, any precipitation can fall freely into your chimney. That is why chimney experts highly recommend having a chimney cap.

Cracked Chimney Crown – The cement cap on your chimney is the crown. Its job is to prevent moisture from seeping in between the bricks and mortar at the top. If it is cracked or broken, water can seep into the masonry and flue. When moisture seeps into the masonry is can eventually weaken the structure of your chimney as the water freezes and thaws.

Broken Chimney Liner – Whenever you burn wood in your fireplace or the temperature drops outside, it produces condensation in your chimney. The purpose of a chimney liner is to insulate your chimney from this condensation in the flue as well as the high temperatures and caustic chemicals from the fire. If your chimney’s liner is broken or damaged, this moisture can leak out and seep into the masonry causing the same problems as a broken crown.

Call on a Chimney Expert!

It is much less expensive to replace a missing chimney cap or repair broken flashing than cover thousands of dollars in water damage caused by a chimney leak. By scheduling an annual chimney inspection, you can prevent this risk. The purpose of an annual inspection is to catch problems like these early on to prevent costly damage and insure your chimney is safe to use.

If you suspect that your chimney already has a leak, give us a call right away! Water damage can compound quickly. The sooner you take action, the sooner a professional chimney sweep can inspect your chimney, identify the source of the problem and fix the leak.

Call us to schedule a chimney inspection! Find out for yourself why residents across Louisville count on us for their chimney maintenance and repairs.