How to Fix a Fireplace Smoking Problem !

Animals & Pests, Brick Cleaning, Brick Cleaning, Brick Repair, Brick Repair, Chimney Caps, Chimney Caps, Chimney Cleaning and Sweeping, Chimney Cleaning and Sweeping, Chimney Creosote Problems, Chimney Creosote Problems, Chimney Crown Repair, Chimney Crown Repair, Chimney Dampers, Chimney Dampers, Chimney Design, Chimney Design, Chimney Draft, Chimney Draft, chimney fire, Chimney Fires, Chimney Fires, Chimney Flashing Repair, Chimney Flashing Repair, Chimney Flues, Chimney Flues, Chimney Inspections, Chimney Inspections, Chimney Liners, Chimney Liners, Chimney Rebuilds, Chimney Rebuilds, Chimney Safety, Chimney Safety, Chimney Safety Institute, Chimneys, ChimneySafety Institute of America, Creosote, CSIA, DIY Wood Stoves, DIY Wood Stoves, Driveways, Driveways, Dryer Vent Cleaning, Electric Fireplaces, Electric Fireplaces, Featured, Featured Questions, Fire Starter Logs, Fire Starter Logs, Firepits, Firepits, Fireplace Accessories, Fireplace Accessories, Fireplace Efficiency, Fireplace Efficiency, Fireplace Installation, Fireplace Installation, Fireplace Ratings & Reviews, Fireplace Ratings & Reviews, Fireplace Smoking Problems, Fireplace Smoking Problems, Fireplaces, Gas Inserts, Gas Inserts, Gas Logs, Gas Logs, Grills & Barbecues, Grills & Barbecues, Hearths, Hearths, Leaking, Masonry, Masonry Chimney Waterproofing, Masonry Chimney Waterproofing, Masonry repair, Mortar Repair, Mortar Repair, National Chimney Sweeps Guild, NSCG, Oil. NCSG., Other Outdoor Projects, Outdoor Fireplaces, Outdoor Fireplaces, Outdoor Kitchens, Outdoor Kitchens, Patios, Patios, Pellet Stoves, Pellet Stoves, Pest Control, Pest Control, Podcasts, Prefab Fireplace, Prefab Fireplace, Roofs, Roofs, Smoke Chamber, Smoke Chamber, Stoves, Tools, Tools, Tuckpointing, Tuckpointing, Uncategorized, VIDEOS, Wood, Wood, Wood & Coal Furnaces, Wood & Coal Furnaces, Wood Stove Ratings & Reviews, Wood Stove Ratings & Reviews, Woodburning Inserts, Woodburning Stoves, Woodburning Stoves, Woodburning StovesAnimals & Pests March 17, 2009 September 2, 2017

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Clay Lamb is a Cincinnati Chimney Sweep contractor and the executive producer of the YouTube channel, podcast, and blog Ask the Chimney Sweep. He is also an award-winning educator and public speaker in the chimney and fireplace industry.

AsktheChimneySweep.com….Educational Videos
FireplaceandChimneySupply.com….Chimney products
AmChimney.com….American Chimney Cincinnati, OH

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

There is nothing worse than spending time to get a fire roaring in your fireplace . . . . only to have a room filled with smoke moments later. :-((

Smoking problems are a major complaint amongst many home owners. There are many different ways to go about fixing this problem, but you must have patience. Sometimes the answer is simple, other times it’s more complex.

The warm air should rise out of your chimney, including the smoke produced. If your flue system is not warm when lighting the fire then you can alter the ability of the fireplace to draw properly, creating potentially harmful smoking problems. A warm air siphon must be created before a fire can burn properly and draw correctly.

Tip #1: Crack a window

The quickest and easiest tip to creating a good draw for your chimney is to crack a window in the same room you are lighting the fire in. This will bring pressure into the room, causing air to be drawn up the chimney and allowing the smoke to move upwards and out, not into your living room.

Tip #2: Pre-heat with some newspapers

Pre-heating your flue system is another quick and easy tip to getting a roaring fire. Rolling up five or six newspapers and lighting them in the fireplace will help to warm up the flue and create a good siphon. This process may take five or ten minutes but can be critical to having a properly drawing fireplace. Also, make sure your damper is propped wide open or the smoke won’t be able escape.

Tip #3: Install a Smoke-Guard

If these quick fixes are still not helping your situation, you may need to look into some more expensive but effective solutions. One of the easiest of these is the Smoke-Guard. If your firebox is too big for your flue system, more smoke can accumulate in the firebox than can safely draft up the chimney. The excess smoke has nowhere to go but back out into your house. Install a Smoke-Guard, a strip of metal to increase the size of the opening of your chimney, can immediately solve smoking problems. This makes the ratio of the fireplace opening to the flue size more compatible.

Here’s how to tell if your fireplace opening is too large for your flue:

Determine the area of your flue. If it is rectangular or square, multiply the flue’s length by its width. If it is a round flue, use the radius (half of the diameter.) Multiply 3.14 x radius x radius.
Determine the area of your fireplace opening. Multiply the height of your fireplace opening by its width.
Compare them. If the area of your fireplace opening is more than 10 times the area of your flue, your smoke problems may stem from your fireplace opening being too large for your flue. A smoke guard will effectively reduce the size of your fireplace opening.

Tip #4: Extend your chimney

If your chimney does not extend high enough above your roof line, or there are nearby trees or other flue systems, this can cause competition for proper drafting. Negative pressure can build up into a tightly sealed home very quickly, which means that the air pressure outside the home is greater than inside the home. If the chimney is not tall enough, air and smoke can easily enter the home to fill the discrepancy between the two pressures. Extending your chimney by a few feet can be costly but may be the only way solve a chimney smoke problem

Smoking Fireplace Problems

https://youtu.be/4F9m8dMhJmQ

Cincinnati Chimney Sweep, Clay Lamb owner of American Chimney Sweep. Executive Producer of Ask the Chimney Sweep Podcasts and YouTube channel.

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

Why Your Chimney Flue May Need a New Liner

Chimney Liners March 17, 2009 September 2, 2017

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

A flue liner needs by codes and standards to cover the inner surface of the flue of your chimney. Relining a chimney is a procedure during which the damage or failure liners remove and a better, safer system is replace. There is a great variety of materials comprising these liners. This includes, but not limited to, ceramic tiles, firebrick, stainless steel, cast-in-place masonry mixtures. Or listed lining systems of similar materials. Flue liners for residential and low heat chimneys must be separated from the chimney wall. They can be separated by an air space to protect the life of each separate flue system. Flue liner tiles can crack due to rapid heating of a cold flue or abusive maintenance. As well as damage from a chimney fire. A cracked liner tile is not safe and must be replaced before burning further.

Faulty appliances are actually the cause of a small percent of chimney fires. Rather, the major causes are either improper installation or a badly maintained flue system. Deteriorating liners may be allowing smoke or creosote to seep through the liner into the walls of your chimney. Relining your chimney will actually prevent excessive creosote buildup when venting a wood burning fireplace or stove.

When a chimney fire has occurred or a tile is cracked by some other means, there are other directions a homeowner can take to

Chimney liner kits make installing a metal flue liner in your chimney less complicated.

reline the chimney. Stainless steel liners, whether stern or flexible, are excellent options. Rigid liners are made of not magnetic stainless steel. They come in round tubes five to ten inches in diameter and one to four feet long. Flexible stainless steel liners are much thinner and are of ribbed construction. The flexible liners are easier to install but the rigid liners are more efficient due to their smooth walls.

Aluminum liners are designed to line very specific types of gas-fired systems, but not gas fireplace logs. Chimney caps are recommended for any type of liner, whether tile or metal, and proper insulation should be installed.

A cast-in-place liner mixture requires the careful installation. They need to have of fitted, inflated, round or oval bladders and casting a masonry material around them. Older or weak chimneys can benefit most from this style of flue lining because, after curing, this masonry material increases the strength of the chimney.
Sometimes a homeowner may come across a situation where a company gives a choice of a full reline or a reline going about six feet up the chimney. A few reasons why you should choose the full reline would be that with the six foot liner, your appliance or fireplace is guaranteed to work at less than 100% efficiency. Also, the heavy liner will have to be removed for each cleaning which requires more effort which means more money.

It is very important that you do not burn a fireplace if there is a cracked flue tile. Contact your local chimney repair companies or visit amchimney.com for more information and answers to questions regarding your own chimney. Once flames move through the cracked or breaking liner, there is no stopping them from lighting the entire rest of the chimney and roof aflame. Allow the experts at amchimney.com to answer all your questions!

Cincinnati Chimney Sweep, Clay Lamb owner of American Chimney Sweep. Executive Producer of Ask the Chimney Sweep Podcasts and YouTube channel.

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

Chimney Odors . . . are big Problem!

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

Chimney odor are a particularly nasty problem that can be increased by extremely wet or hot and humid weather.

A foul smell in your living room is an unpleasant but not unsolvable problem.

Home owners must realize that odor in your chimney is always present. But usually the draft created by the cold weather outside the flue and warm weather inside the home carries the odor up the chimney. This prevents it from entering the home. Odors will also increase when it is raining because moisture amplifies the odor. Much like a dog smells worse when it is wet. The porous brick will get wet and retain odor for a longer period of time.

The first, most obvious step in dealing with a smelly chimney would be to have your chimney cleaned. This removes as much of the odor causing creosote and soot as possible.

Glazed creosote, however, causes a particular problem seeing as it is very difficult to remove and produces the worst odor due to its high moisture content. A chimney sweep can remove the surface build up of creosote, but the odors will remain absorbed into the masonry surface.
Installing a chimney cap will also help prevent odors from entering your home by keeping the interior of the chimney dry. It cannot, however, keep the humidity out. Many different deodorants are available on the market or through your chimney sweep company to combat the odors as well.

A quick fix may be to simply open a window in the room with the fireplace. If your chimney odor is being caused by air flow reversal, this opening of a window may allow the negative pressure in the home to be released, helping your chimney draft properly and vent normally, sending the odor out of the home.

Calling out a professional will help you in diagnosing what it is that’s causing your particular chimney odor problem. However, following these quick tips can usually cure most situations!

imgres-1 You can find a reputable Chimney Sweep in your area by using this link to the National Chimney Sweep Guild locator : http://www.ncsg.org/search. Also be sure and go online and read their customer reviews from Google, BBB and AngiesList. I’m never impressed with those cheaper “Swab and Rob companies

ALSO…

Check out these two ” Ask The Chimney Sweep ” . . . Videos !

1-Chimney Creosote Removal & Odors

https://youtu.be/iaPkK3YDYsg

2-Types of Chimney Fires

https://youtu.be/hw8zaOeLh2s

Make sure you check out our YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/askthechimneysweep
And other blogs
http://askthechimneysweep.com/

Affiliate Disclosure
I NEVER recommend a product or service that I don’t personally use (and love) myself but just to be totally transparent you should know that some of the links on my site ARE affiliate links and I DO make a small commission from any sales that are made. Thanks for your support!

Cincinnati Chimney Sweep, Clay Lamb owner of American Chimney Sweep. Executive Producer of Ask the Chimney Sweep Podcasts and YouTube channel.

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

Dryer Vent Cleaning is very Important

Dryer Vent Cleaning March 17, 2009 September 2, 2017

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

There are an estimated 15,500 fires, 10 deaths, and 10 injuries a year associated with dryer vent. There are several hundred people a year are subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper installation. With these statistics in mind, its puzzling to think that most people think it is unnecessary to have their dryer vent cleaned. Dryer vent cleaning improves not only the safety of your dryer vent but the effiency as well. Dryer vents can become filled or clogged with debris or lint. This can increase drying time or cause the dryer itself to over heat. Having a dryer vent that is not cleaned properly can actually cost you, the owner, more money. This is because the dryer has to run longer to dry clothes. A dirty vent can cause fires in the dryer or dryer duct. Even though lint is a routine blockage, animal nesting can also cause blockage.

Lint accumulation combined with reduced airflow are excellent conditions for a fire, seeing as lint is highly combustible. Many newer homes have dryer vents located away from outside walls, causing the vents to be longer and created with sharp turns, greatly increasing the chance for blockage to occur. Flammable, flimsy, plastic or foil duct extenders are another major culprit in dryer vent fires. Be sure that your dryer vent uses only metal vents, seeing that they also resist crushing better, allowing the lint to be carried out of the system more efficiently.

If you have noticed that your dryer is running longer than usual then it may be time to have your dryer vent cleaned. There are many different types of dryer vents. Some are short and straight and can be cleaned easily by the owner. Others may be longer or have bends in them and require a cleaning professional. Certified dryer vent cleaners may be contacted, but many chimney sweeping companies are certified to clean them as well.

A scary and dangerous fact of the matter is that, even if you feel your dryer is running properly and do not suspect blockage, a routine cleaning can prevent the possibility of carbon monoxide from seeping into your home. A professional will be able to see if your vent is not exhausting properly to the outdoors. This causes carbon monoxide to back up into the home.

Measuring duct backpressure before and after the cleaning process can determine the effectiveness of the cleaning. This measurement also helps the insure that your dryer duct is not exceeding the recommended limits.

Some at home tips for keeping your vent in good condition are to be sure to clean the lint tray every time you use the dryer. Make sure your dryer duct is made of solid, metallic material. If vinyl or foil, contact a professional near you because these surfaces are more combustible. If your duct vents anywhere except the exterior of your home (attic or crawl space for instance) immediately contact a professional. This is very unsafe.

Also, screws protruding inside the dryer duct cause lint to be trapped more easily. Creating quicker blockage and a greater potential for fires. Lastly, if you have any questions it’s better to be safe than sorry. The cost of a service call to have a professional come and take a look at a potential problem is a far better price to pay than some of the other consequences that can arise from improper dryer vent installation, cleaning, etc

Make sure you check out our YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/user/askthechimneysweep

And other blogs

http://askthechimneysweep.com/

Affiliate Disclosure

I NEVER recommend a product or service that I don’t personally use (and love) myself but just to be totally transparent you should know that some of the links on my site ARE affiliate links and I DO make a small commission from any sales that are made. Thanks for your support!

Cincinnati Chimney Sweep, Clay Lamb owner of American Chimney Sweep. Executive Producer of Ask the Chimney Sweep Podcasts and YouTube channel.

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

How To Remove Creosote and What is Creosote?

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

What is Creosote?

Creosote is a flammable and corrosive substance that can build up on the walls of your fireplace and chimney. Creosote forms when unburned wood particles, fly ash and other volatile gasses combine as they exit the chimney. If there’s a poor draft, these unburned particles and gasses can condense and build up on the walls of your chimney. Over time, these e or soot buildups can become a danger as they can potentially result in a chimney fire.

Causes of Chimney Creosote Problems

Smoke, or better termed, flue gas, releases by the initial fire, or primary combustion. Burning wood, no matter when releases pollutants in the form of gasses and particulate matter. Flue gas, comprised of steam and vaporized but unburned carbon based byproducts (vaporized accumulation). If smoke exiting the chimney is cools to below 250 degrees Fahrenheit, the gasses liquefy, combine, and solidify to form that tar compound. A flue too large for the woodburning appliance may increase the likelihood that creosote will build up. Restricted air supply, unseasoned or rain-logged wood, and cool surface flue temperatures also encourage creosote to build up.

Creosote Stages:

Condensation: In an attempt to save fuel, many people reduce the amount of air entering the combustion chamber, causing the appliance to smolder. This has serious side effects. Smoke then cools as it rises in the chimney, not having enough heat energy to escape the stack. The flue gas then condenses on the inside of the chimney and the sap/resin turns into creosote.

Liquidation: This sap/resin turns liquid and can seep into mortar joints or cracks in the flue tiles. The corrosive property held by creosote destroys masonry work and jeopardizes the life of your chimney.

Solidification: As temperatures fall and rise within the chimney, causing the heating and cooling of the creosote. This quickly enables build-up, reducing the amount of space the flue gas has to exit the chimney and, in extreme cases, blocking the flue completely. This build up can look like tar and is frequently termed “tar build-up.

“Fragile State Creosote: When the solid creosote is burned, all volatile oils are removed leaving a residue that appears very similar to honeycomb which is crisp and easy to sweep from chimneys.

Creosote Glazing

Glaze forms in the solidification stage and occurs when new layers of creosote build so quickly that the layers below it have no time to dry. These fresh layers then insulate previous deposits so it eventually solidifies creating the rock-like substance known as glaze.

How to Remove Creosote Glaze

To remove this hard-as-a-rock glaze, it must first be broken down chemically. The two best products to use To remove this hard as a rock glaze, it must firare Anti-Creo-Soot Liquid spray or ACS Powder. ACS in liquid form is a chimney creosote removal spray that can be applied directly onto the fire or used to pre-treat the wood before burning. The vapor goes up the flue and attaches to the glazed creosote and chemically modifies it. This converts it into a harmless ash that can easily be swept out with a chimney sweep brush. ACS in powder form is a little bit more powerful. This powdered chimney creosote remover is applied to the chimney walls and up the flue.

When you start a fire, the temperature needs to reach 300 degrees F. When this happens, the ACS Powder causes the creosote to expand and contract at a different rate than the flue it’s attaches to, causing it to pee
l away from the flue liner. Both of these products contain unique chemical catalysts that break down the creosote over time. They are the most powerful when used in combination. Use the ACS Powder for the first 2 weeks to break down the really heavy duty creosote. Then use the regular ACS liquid spray every time you have a fire. Give it 5-6 sprays each fire to reduce creosote buildup and keep your chimney creosote-free.

In conclusion, after you solve your creosote problem, it’s a good idea to check the rest of your chimney and make sure it’s in good shape. Keeping your bricks waterproofed and performing chimney crown repair if needed are essential steps to take to keep your chimney in proper repair.

After this, remember to check out our Youtube channel and other blogs!

Make sure you check out our YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/user/askthechimneysweep

And other blogs

http://askthechimneysweep.com/ or https://www.askthechimneysweep.com/2015/12/creosote-odors-fireplace-problems/

I NEVER recommend a product or service that I don’t personally use (and love) myself but just to be totally transparent you should know that some of the links on my site ARE affiliate links and I DO make a small commission from any sales that are made. Thanks for your support!

Cincinnati Chimney Sweep, Clay Lamb owner of American Chimney Sweep. Executive Producer of Ask the Chimney Sweep Podcasts and YouTube channel.

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

Chimney Waterproofing – Can Water Damage Really Destroy Your Masonry Chimney?

Animals & Pests, Brick Cleaning, Brick Cleaning, Brick Repair, Brick Repair, Chimney Caps, Chimney Caps, Chimney Cleaning and Sweeping, Chimney Cleaning and Sweeping, Chimney Creosote Problems, Chimney Creosote Problems, Chimney Crown Repair, Chimney Crown Repair, Chimney Dampers, Chimney Dampers, Chimney Design, Chimney Design, Chimney Draft, Chimney Draft, chimney fire, Chimney Fires, Chimney Fires, Chimney Flashing Repair, Chimney Flashing Repair, Chimney Flues, Chimney Flues, Chimney Inspections, Chimney Inspections, Chimney Liners, Chimney Liners, Chimney Rebuilds, Chimney Rebuilds, Chimney Safety, Chimney Safety, Chimney Safety Institute, Chimneys, ChimneySafety Institute of America, Creosote, CSIA, DIY Wood Stoves, DIY Wood Stoves, Driveways, Driveways, Dryer Vent Cleaning, Electric Fireplaces, Electric Fireplaces, Featured Questions, Fire Starter Logs, Fire Starter Logs, Firepits, Firepits, Fireplace Accessories, Fireplace Accessories, Fireplace Efficiency, Fireplace Efficiency, Fireplace Installation, Fireplace Installation, Fireplace Ratings & Reviews, Fireplace Ratings & Reviews, Fireplace Smoking Problems, Fireplace Smoking Problems, Fireplaces, Gas Inserts, Gas Inserts, Gas Logs, Gas Logs, Grills & Barbecues, Grills & Barbecues, Hearths, Hearths, Leaking, Masonry, Masonry Chimney Waterproofing, Masonry Chimney Waterproofing, Masonry repair, Mortar Repair, Mortar Repair, National Chimney Sweeps Guild, NSCG, Oil. NCSG., Other Outdoor Projects, Outdoor Fireplaces, Outdoor Fireplaces, Outdoor Kitchens, Outdoor Kitchens, Patios, Patios, Pellet Stoves, Pellet Stoves, Pest Control, Pest Control, Podcasts, Prefab Fireplace, Prefab Fireplace, Roofs, Roofs, Smoke Chamber, Smoke Chamber, Stoves, Tools, Tools, Tuckpointing, Tuckpointing, Uncategorized, Wood, Wood, Wood & Coal Furnaces, Wood & Coal Furnaces, Wood Stove Ratings & Reviews, Wood Stove Ratings & Reviews, Woodburning Inserts, Woodburning Stoves, Woodburning Stoves, Woodburning StovesAnimals & Pests March 16, 2009 September 2, 2017

About
Latest Posts

Clay Lamb

Owner at American Chimney

Latest posts by Clay Lamb (see all)

Fireplace Ash, Dump Boxes & Clean-Out Doors - October 16, 2017
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - September 2, 2017
Fireplace Odor? Fix my stinking chimney! - June 5, 2017

crown1 016 Here in Cincinnati, I’m sure I don’t speak for myself when I say I have a new respect for hurricanes. We recently experienced hurricane force winds that caused more damage to chimneys than this city has seen in a while. When someone thinks of a hurricane, lots of water comes to mind, and when it comes to chimneys, few things are more detrimental to its life and quality than water damage. Not to mention there are few things more aggravating than the drip, drip, drip of water entering the chimney, resonating through your home and eventually through your very soul… Well, it may not be that annoying but no one wants to have to write a check for a major chimney overhaul due to moisture damage when it is easily preventable.

Water Damage: A $1 Billion Per Year Problem

This damage comes in the form of staining, loss of insulation value, freeze-thaw damage, deterioration, and ultimately, structural failure. In light of this, I’d like to discuss a few systems, products, and techniques to ensure your family is safe, warm, and dry this hurricane or winter season, whichever you are preparing for.

Masonry chimneys are more prone to water damage than the rest of your home because they extend far above the roofline, unprotected from the elements. Waterproofing is a good idea because it protects the mortar joints from moisture entry and helps a repair last longer.

Waterproofing and Sealers

As far as waterproofing goes, Chimneysaver© is a ” Professional Grade ” product we use out in the field. It’s important to know the difference between waterproofers and sealers. ChimneySaver is not a sealer. Sealers and silicone coatings form a water resistant surface film which traps water vapors. If these vapors cannot escape, they will add to the deterioration of your brick.

Your chimney needs to breathe, which is why we use Chimneysaver©. It’s 100% breathable, or vapor permeable, meaning water vapor trapped inside the brick can easily pass through it. This is a non film-forming water repellent that will penetrate and line masonry pores to prevent water from deteriorating the brick.

Visit our web-store —-> www.FireplaceAndChimneySupply.com

Mortar Joint Repair

Before you waterproof, make sure all the mortar joints are in good condition. If there’s any cracks or missing pieces of mortar, you may need to do some tuckpointing. If the cracks aren’t severe, you may be able to apply a brushable product called Crack & Joint Sealant. Think of it like a brushable caulk that dries semi-clear. This waterproofs the gaps and cracks in the mortar up to 1/8″.

Waterproofing your masonry chimney can preserve your chimney and prevent water damage and deterioration. A good water repellent normally only needs to be applied once every 5-10 years and will save you the headache of having to replace or rebuild your chimney.

Take time to look at our two ” Ask The Chimney Sweep videos

1-Chimney Leaks

https://youtu.be/hNU-W7YmI5E

2-Leaking Roof

https://youtu.be/7djc7ayYJWs

Cincinnati Chimney Sweep, Clay Lamb owner of American Chimney Sweep. Executive Producer of Ask the Chimney Sweep Podcasts and YouTube channel.