No one wants to hear a drip coming from anywhere in their house. What’s even worse is hearing a dripping sound coming from your chimney, which isn’t a place people commonly associate with moisture.
If you live in Columbus, Ohio are are hearing water in your chimney, you may have a chimney leak. Contact us right away for a free inspection and learn more about our Chimney Services.
On top of dripping sounds, there might be other symptoms of a leaking chimney. Here are some of the signs besides dripping which could indicate a leak in your chimney system:
The fireplace has a musty or stale smell, especially after precipitation.- Water drips on the walls or ceiling around the chimney, as well as water pooling in the fireplace box.
- Pieces of brick, mortar, or other types of masonry on the floor of your fireplace or hearth.
A leaky chimney isn’t an automatic death sentence for your chimney. If you quickly identify the cause and origin of the leak, stop the leak, and repair water damage, you can continue to use your chimney with your mind at ease.
What Would Cause My Chimney to Leak?
Chimneys are complicated structures and have many different parts to them and finding the cause of the leak can be just as complicated as the chimney itself.
One of the more common reasons a chimney is leaking is because of an uncapped chimney or a chimney cap that is damaged. As you can imagine, if a chimney does not have a barrier between the opening (top of the flue) when precipitation like rain, hail, sleet, and snow happens, that water can easily enter the chimney and cause any of the symptoms of a leaky chimney.
Another reason for chimney leakage is when the chimney flashing (the sealant that connects the chimney and the roof) loses its seal, compromising its ability to keep water out. The reasons for a bad seal can be age, inadequate installation, damage, or sometimes the house “settling” can damage the integrity.
Can My Chimney Leak Be Fixed?
Good news! A leaky chimney can easily be repaired once the root problem is identified. Any damage should be fixed immediately to prevent degradation of the chimney structure or production of mold from water damage.
Chimneys without a cap or with a damaged cap should have a new one installed immediately to protect the chimney from water coming in. Another reason for a chimney cap is to keep animals (like birds or squirrels) and debris from coming into your chimney, which can be hard to remove. Nesting birds or buildup of debris in chimneys are some of the main reasons for carbon monoxide poisoning in the home, so it is not something to take lightly.
Damaged, improperly installed, or aged flashing sealant should also be replaced as soon as possible.
Chimneys should have an inspection every year to prevent leaking and subsequent damage. Able Roof contractors and technicians are available today to not only fix leaky chimneys at their source immediately but to do it quickly and correctly the first time. Able Roof also provides inspection services for free to determine any problems and provide insight on the next steps. Contact us to schedule an inspection today and preserve the integrity of your chimney!
