The winter cold will be upon us soon, and if you have a chimney on your house, it is important to make sure that it is in good shape before the first snow starts falling. This blog post will give detailed information about what can damage your chimney. We’ll discuss what causes problems with a chimney and go over some of the most common repairs that are needed. Chimneys can take quite a beating during the winter months–but this doesn’t need to happen! Please read our guide about the types of damages and save yourself from future headaches!
Table of Contents
Weather Damaged
The weather can damage the chimney, and masonry cracks can cause water to seep in. The water inside doesn’t harm the masonry, but due to the atmospheric cycles, the masonry expands and contracts when it freezes and thaws. With time, the chimney’s interior will deteriorate and crumble.
Damage of this kind is hard to spot, and it’s easy to ignore it for quite a while until it becomes a big problem. The moment you suspect your chimney has been flooded, get an experienced Fredericton chimney repair to assess its condition.
Fault in Construction
In addition, poor construction also leads to chimney damage. Poorly constructed chimneys are often difficult to diagnose since, to the untrained eye, they appear very similar to properly constructed ones. You can get a chimney assessment from one of our technicians to give you peace of mind. In that way, you can accurately assess the chimney’s condition, and your chimney expert can develop a strategy to fix it.
Chimney Fire
The cause of chimney fires is excess flammable creosote in the flue, which can cause a large or small fire, but it is always potentially destructive. The solution is to have a chimney sweep every year. A chimney sweep removes creosote buildups with specialized tools so that a chimney fire can be greatly reduced.
As a result of chimney fires, masonry can deteriorate, and more and more vulnerable materials of a home may be at risk of a devastating fire. When you burn wood in your fireplace, creosote is inevitable; however, keeping your chimney clean and safe can help prevent it.
Flue liner Damaged
A damaged flue liner is generally due to improper construction or corrosion resulting from fossil fuels such as oil and gas and deterioration from the weather. In addition, settling cracks can also cause damage to the lining. Having your flue liner inspected annually and cleaned will ensure your home is free from dangerous and deadly combustibles like carbon monoxide. There is a possibility that cracks within the flue liner could allow gases and air to escape, putting you and your family at risk of a serious fire.
Animal Damaged
The chimney is a favorite habitat for many types of animals and pests. Once they’ve made their way inside, they often become trapped inside the chimney flue. Raccoons love chimneys as much as any other wild animal, but you should stay away from them. Some people may think they are cute, but these animals can carry diseases like rabies and other viral infections.
You can find any animal or pest inside your venting system, but in Fredericton, some are more common.