Five Warning Signs Your Chimney Needs Repair
Although you probably don’t think about it often, your chimney is a vital part of keeping your home safe and healthy. The home produces many hazardous substances, from fireplace smoke to gas appliance exhaust, and the chimney is how they leave the building (and your breathable airspace). A faulty chimney isn’t just an eyesore, it’s a danger to your health: Every year, more than 400 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and many of these deaths are associated with a chimney in need of repair.
This makes chimney maintenance an absolute priority, including periodic inspections and seasonal preparation . But even if you do everything right, there’s a good chance your chimney will eventually fail, and knowing the warning signs could save your life. Here are signs that your chimney needs attention.
Bad smells
The chimney is where a large amount of harmful gases produced in your home must escape. They move up and out, so bad odors don’t bother you or suffocate you while you sleep. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, the smell of smoke is quite normal (and pleasant), but if you smell smoke all the time, or if you smell sulfur or a more “chemical” smell, such as burning plastic, your chimney or your liner may be blocked. may crack . This means that dangerous gases and fumes are leaking into your home and your chimney needs attention.
A more subtle sign that your chimney needs repair or maintenance occurs when you dry your clothes. Your dryer vent should be vented away from the chimney due to the risk of lint buildup and fire, but if that vent is located close to the chimney and your home is filled with the damp smell of dryer sheets every time you dry clothes, it could indicate a cracked chimney or cladding that allows these vapors to escape back into the house.
Moisture
Your chimney is obviously located on the roof and is somewhat exposed to the elements. It should have a cap on top that will prevent rain from entering your home, so any sign of water seeping into the surrounding area is a sign that your chimney is faulty. This can manifest itself in several ways:
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Peeling Wallpaper: If the wallpaper in the area under the chimney begins to peel away from the wall, this may indicate that the chimney is not being ventilated properly and moisture is being trapped in the walls. This may be much more subtle than a complete water leak, but it can still damage your walls, cause mold – and absolutely indicates that your chimney needs an urgent inspection.
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Water stains or leaks. If you see stains or water leaks under your chimney, the problem could be as simple as repairing the flashing on your roof, or it could mean your chimney is burned out and leaking water. It is best to have a professional roofer inspect the area.
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White spots on the chimney masonry. If you look at the outside of the chimney and see what these stains are, then they are probably efflorescence , that is, a coating left behind after moisture has evaporated. Efflorescence itself is fairly harmless, but it usually indicates a problem with the chimney seal—water seeping into the brick. This problem needs to be addressed before water seepage causes any real damage.
Collapsed masonry
Another sign that your chimney will give you away (or has already given you away) is its physical integrity. If you have inspected your chimney and notice any of the following signs, you should schedule an inspection immediately:
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Skol. Cracking bricks are never a good sign. Cracking occurs when moisture gets into the chimney bricks, freezes and expands. Large portions of the brick then turn to dust and crumble, leaving behind visible damage.
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Shaling. If your chimney has a clay liner , one sign of a serious problem is finding thin pieces of liner in the fireplace or anywhere around the base of the chimney. This indicates that the lining has cracked and become unusable, so it no longer protects the chimney and may be leaking smoke into the home.
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Mortar damage. If the mortar (cement-like material between the bricks) in your chimney is missing or crumbling, the structure of your chimney is compromised and requires immediate repair and possible replacement.
Rust
Another telltale sign of chimney problems is rust anywhere on your fireplace, especially on the damper (the mechanism that opens and closes your fireplace chimney). Rusty components indicate that moisture is getting where it shouldn’t, which means some aspect of your chimney is damaged. It may need a new lid, or it could mean the masonry is leaking and needs to be repaired and sealed. Whatever the reason, it’s time to call inspection.
Animals
If you’ve ever had an adventure where an animal got into your fireplace or your walls (like a squirrel, raccoon or opossum), you might be tempted to write it off as a one-time incident. But you have to stop and ask yourself how this creature got here in the first place. If an animal was found inside the chimney , or if there is no other possible entry point that you can identify, then your chimney cap may be damaged or missing, or the chimney structure may have deteriorated to the point that your animal friends may be able to find it. their way in. Either way, this is a serious problem and your chimney needs serious attention.