3 Common Chimney Repairs And What They Involve
Your chimney has a very important job. It exhausts smoke and vapor from your fireplace, keeping you and your family safe while a fire is lit. Over the years, your chimney may require some repairs to keep it in good, working order.
Here are some of the most common chimney repairs you may encounter over the years.
Replacing the chimney cap
Chimneys should be covered in a cap. This cap keeps debris from falling down the chimney. It keeps leaves and twigs out, and it also keeps squirrels and other small animals from nesting inside the chimney. If your chimney cap becomes rusted or corroded, or if it develops some holes, then your chimney care team will recommend having it replaced. This is a simple repair. They'll unscrew the old chimney cap, put a new one in place, secure it with some screws or rivets, and you'll be set.
Replacing the flashing
Flashing is sheets of metal that basically surround the chimney where it comes through your roof. The edges of the flashing are buried under a layer of shingles. Sometimes flashing becomes worn, starts peeling, or develops holes. When this happens, you can get water seeping in around the chimney. A chimney repair expert, or even a roofer, can remove the damaged flashing and replace it. They often need to take some of the shingles off before replacing the flashing — but they'll put them back when they're done. If you need a roof replacement any time soon, it's often easiest to have the chimney flashing replaced at the same time.
Brick repair
Most chimneys are made from brick. Over the years, the bricks may start losing some of the mortar between them. This can weaken the chimney structure overall. A chimney repair team can perform a procedure called tuckpointing to address this issue. They'll start by chipping out the old, damaged mortar. They'll then pack some new mortar into the empty joints, smooth it out, and let it dry. It's best to have this done before the mortar on your chimney becomes too damaged and before the bricks themselves start chipping and breaking.
If you want your chimney to keep serving you, then you need to take good care of it. Have a chimney care company come look it over once a year or so. They'll let you know if you need any of the common repairs above.
