Chimney repair is an integral part of any complete home maintenance routine. If you have a fireplace chimney in your home, you need to take care of these so that you can get the best value and comfort from them in winter.
While this should be obvious, there are a lot of homeowners who put off chimney repair and maintenance until they are forced to address it by necessity. By then the damage may already be done and would probably have a large price tag.
To avoid this major hassle, you should look to hire chimney repair specialists and have them inspect your fireplace chimney well before winter. Here are the most common types of chimney repairs usually required.
Common Chimney Repairs and Why they Need to Be Done Immediately
Broken Capping
Your chimney cap does a lot more than just look pretty from a distance. It is, in fact, an integral part of your chimney and needs to be taken care of properly. A broken chimney cap can result in much more costly damage later if it is not addressed immediately. For example, if your chimney cap allows rainwater to enter the flue during heavy rains, then when winter comes calling, you may find your chimney heavily damaged. Naturally, this would need to be fixed and at quite a steep price. To avoid this unnecessary expenditure, you need to get chimney repair specialists who can buy and install the proper cap replacement for you.
Creosote Buildup
While chimney cap damage might be accidental, creosote buildup is something that is inevitable. If you burn wood at your fireplace, then you will have soot buildup in your chimney. Now, if you leave that soot unremoved, then it can cause a lot of problems later on. These include not only include things like the inefficient burning of wood but may also pose a risk to your family. Chimney fires are caused almost entirely by creosote left for some time. This is also one of the most common reasons why chimney repair is needed in homes before the beginning and at the end of the winter season.
Unsecured Masonry
Masonry is the most popular type of chimney construction and is often the reason why any property gets more market value. But over time, it can and will develop problems and if left unattended can become a major hassle. The simple arrangement of bricks and mortar will eventually start giving in under repeated exposure to heat, fumes and the harmful agents they contain. The best way to address any problems arising from this is to simply ask a professional to inspect your chimney before and after each winter.
Flue Cracking
The flue is the inside section of your chimney and it is also prone to a number of issues over time. Since it is the most exposed section of your flue, it is also one of the first things your chimney repair professional will inspect. A cracked flue is a sign that there might be even more damage beneath the surface and only a reliable and experienced chimney cleaning professional can tell you the details. So, if you have a chimney at home, having your flue inspected is an essential part of the maintenance process.
Blockage
Creosote is a common reason for blockages in chimneys. However, they can also arise from other reasons like animals making their nests in your flue or debris like leaves from the autumn season. To have a well-functioning chimney and to avoid any chances of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is imperative to have a chimney repair professional service your chimney. They will clear the blockage using the right tools for the job and will enable you to enjoy the best bits of having a bright, warm fireplace in your home during the winter season.
Where Can You Get the Best Chimney Repair Services in Town?
Looking for professional chimney repair experts? The experts at All Star Chimney Sweep have the experience and expertise you need! Let our seasoned chimney repair experts ensure you get the best value from your fireplace and chimney this season.
It’s great you mentioned having to call in a chimney repairman when you notice that there’s something wrong with the structure–especially if it looks like it’s leaning to one side and is about to collapse. Calling in a chimney repairman at this time would be a good idea since a collapsed chimney would mean bad things for the fireplace, especially when it comes to lighting up the fireplace and you haven’t the slightest that it’s about to fall over. If I had the chance to work as a chimney repairman then I would want to make sure that any and all clients would know that having a malfunctioning chimney is a bad thing in the long run.
My dad’s chimney is wearing out and looks dull. I like how you mention an unattended chimney can develop problems over time. Thank you for the information. I’ll recommend him to contact a professional to repair his chimney.
Thanks for stating the importance of having a professional service your chimney. We’re thinking about remodeling our living room and a friend suggested we should do some creosote cleaning to the fireplace ourselves, but I’m sure that he wasn’t considering the time and experience that this requires. It’s been a long time since I don’t do any maintenance to our fireplace so I think I will call a remodeling contractor to see what options I have. Thanks again!
Hi Wade, remodeling contractors are great at remodeling, But our specialty is chimney’s… countless times our customers tell us several handy-men or remodeler’s worked on a problem only to have it keep coming back. Our chimney team has over 75 years of professional experience and we love what we do. we would be more than happy to assist you in anyway. 1-800-724-5021
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Thank you for pointing out that having our chimney maintain is an integral part of house chores. I appreciate that this post mentioned having loose masonry reinstalled is a big part of chimney repair and maintenance. I have a chimney and I cannot recall when was the last time we had it maintained. I will schedule an appointment soon.
I didn’t realize that having creosote buildup in your chimney could start a fire to the home. We recently moved into a home with a fire place, and the previous owners didn’t say the last time they had the chimney inspected. Would it be a good idea to have it looked at before we use it for the first time?