In Need of Leaky Chimney Repair Near You? Call SureGlow Stove & Chimney

Is It Normal for a Chimney To Leak During Heavy Rain?

As much as we’d like to ease your conscience and assure you that it’s probably nothing if your chimney leaks in heavy rain…we can’t.

The truth of the matter is that, even during heavy rain, it is not normal (or safe!) for any type of chimney (prefab/metal or brick masonry) to leak in any capacity. Even if it’s a one-off and the rain is torrential, a leaking chimney is cause for concern and demands immediate attention, especially before the issue continues and/or gets worse.

That being said, a chimney that is installed, maintained, and operating optimally, will have components in place to protect both the chimney system and the home from naturally occurring events and changes in the weather. Unfortunately, if your chimney is leaking – even if it’s only when the rain is particularly heavy – it is vital that you schedule a time for one of our chimney sweeps to take a look and give you an idea of what to expect for chimney repairs.

Why (& How) Does Water Damage Chimneys?

As we mentioned, bricks are incredibly porous. If not weather-treated properly, they can absorb between a cup and a cup and a half of water, each.

To give context, a one and a half story home would require roughly 1,200 bricks to build a chimney. If each brick were to be completely saturated, the entire chimney would be holding around 150 gallons of water – the weight of which is over 1,100 pounds. It’s the equivalent of your chimney alone supporting the weight of four full-sized refrigerators. That is heavy. Thinking about it that way, it’s no wonder that, over time, a little rain can wreak a lot of havoc on a chimney system.

What ways can water damage my chimney?

• The Freeze/Thaw Process. Water has several forms, and it can freeze and expand when the outside temperatures are below freezing. When this happens, the bricks of your chimney can shift, causing the mortar joints between them to loosen and gape. This not only harms the structural integrity of the brickwork, but also creates a perfect place for insects and other small creatures to squeeze through.
• Mold/Vegetation. Dark, damp areas are the perfect breeding ground for various forms of vegetation – like mold, algae, moss, etc. Depending on the area of your chimney that suffers from the water intrusion, it’s very possible that your surrounding ceiling and/or walls will suffer, too.
• Efflorescence. What about the white, chalky material that sometimes coats the outside of brick? This is called efflorescence, and it’s the result of excessive water absorption pulling the salts and minerals out of the brickwork. While the appearance is displeasing enough, the result of untreated efflorescence is brickwork that begins to crumble and flake – weakening your masonry one brick at a time.

Do you have a prefab chimney?
Maybe you’ve gotten this far and are thinking,“I have a prefabricated chimney, so I don’t have to worry about all this water damage and leaky chimney stuff.” As much as we’d like to let you off the hook, we cannot.

You might not have to worry about rain damaging your bricks, but you do have to worry about water damage to your woodwork and metal components. Prefab chimneys are a bit different from masonry when it comes to their parts and terminology, but the end result of water damage – whether to brick or to wood – is always an expensive pain.

Are Chimney Leaks Covered By Homeowner’s Insurance?

Sadly, the odds are that most chimney leak repair jobs will not be covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy. Unless you can prove the leak is due to excessive, aggravated weather conditions – such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, etc. – you will have to foot the bill yourself.

The reason for this is that most chimney leaks are preventable if homeowners are staying up to date on their chimney maintenance.

If it actually was foul weather that did the damage? If you have documentation of previous inspections, chimney cleanings, and other regular services, you may have no problem submitting a claim to your insurance. Just be vigilant about getting this maintenance done – and keep any reports that result from it.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Leak Around a Chimney?

Without one of our professionally-trained chimney sweeps coming out to inspect and diagnose the exact cause of your chimney leak, it’s hard to say. Believe us, we’d love to give you a price range and tell you with utmost certainty that your leak repair service will cost anywhere between X dollars and Y dollars, but we just can’t.

Every situation is different, and in order to provide our customers with exceptional, transparent service, we will never provide a quote until someone from our team has been to your home to evaluate the damage.

If you’re searching for “leaky chimney repair services near me” and don’t know which company to call, look no further than SureGlow Stove & Chimney.

Can I Prevent Chimney Leaks?

For the most part, yes. Regular inspections and annual maintenance will do a world of good when it comes to preventing all sorts of chimney issues and malfunctions. As will the following:

• Be sure your chimney is properly (and professionally) waterproofed. Waterproofing products need to be formulated for chimneys – in other words, impenetrable from the outside, while maintaining vapor permeability. There is a lot that goes into the products we use and the processes we implement.
• Ensure your chimney cap is properly fitted and sealed. Regardless of whether your chimney is made of brick with a clay liner, wood casing with a metal liner, or anything in between, it is imperative that the opening be completely and properly sealed off. Chimney caps are an essential investment in protecting your chimney from water and other intrusion.
• Check that your crown (or chase cover) is in good condition. Many masonry chimney crowns are improperly constructed from leftover mortar, which is susceptible to water damage. A proper masonry crown should be created using concrete and appears as a thick slab on the top of the chimney. Alternatively, a metal chase cover could be used in lieu of the concrete crown – this is the standard “crown” in prefab chimney models.
• Investigate your flashing. Make sure that your flashing is up to snuff and has not suffered from any corrosion or deterioration. It might not seem like much, but flashing plays a big role in directing water away from your chimney.
• Look into a chimney cricket. Especially helpful if your roof is particularly steep or your chimney is more than 30 inches wide, a chimney cricket is a structure that looks like a little pup tent at the back of the chimney and helps deflect water away from the chimney.
• Keep an eye out for damaged bricks or outer paneling. If you notice that any of your bricks or external parts of your chimney are starting to look weather-worn (even if there are no other signs of a chimney leak), it’s best to get it repaired right away.
• Examine your flue liner. A healthy, non-damaged flue liner is vital for proper and suitable operation of your system. Any cracks, gaps, or separations can let water leak into the chimney flue.

Is a Leaky Chimney Dangerous?

Yes – a leaky chimney can be quite dangerous, even if your fireplace or other chimney unit is scarcely used. Not only can concealed water damage lead to mold and other fungal or vegetation growth (both within the structure itself and any surrounding areas into which the water has leaked), but it also opens the door for a host of other dangers. Carbon monoxide poisoning, chimney-caused house fires, expensive house repairs, and more can all be the result of a seemingly benign leaky chimney.

Remember that almost all chimney leaks are preventable, so once yours is repaired, the best way to protect your chimney, home, and, most importantly, your family, is to prioritize your chimney’s upkeep. Just because it is mostly “out of sight,” doesn’t mean it should be “out of mind.” We understand that chimney maintenance is rarely in the forefront of people’s thoughts, but we urge customers throughout our service area to prioritize it always. Choose us for all your chimney questions, concerns, and care.