How To Find And Fix Moisture In Your Chimney Flue
If you notice moisture on the base or walls of your fireplace and flue, you want to get the problem solved as soon as possible. Ultimately, a little bit of moisture seeping into your chimney might not seem like a serious problem. However, it can cause the interior walls of your flue to deteriorate. Mold can even form, and you could end up with a very expensive repair on your hands. For instance, the deterioration can get so bad that the actual structure of your chimney will need to be removed or, at least, reinforced. Work inside a chimney flue is always expensive, if only because it is so delicate and hard to reach. Also, you have to worry about any collateral damage that will occur to your roof. Basically, moisture inside your chimney flue can be a big headache, so it is best to try and figure out what is causing it, and stop it as soon as you see it.
A Broken Chimney Cover
The most common issue is simply that your flue cover is no longer preventing water from entering the chimney. A lot of things can happen, especially if you live in an area that experiences severe wind and extreme weather. Most chimney covers are made out of thin aluminum, so they can get bent over time. Some covers are more decorative and they are made up of materials like wood, and these are the most vulnerable. Not only are they subject to water damage, they can also harbor termites and rodents, and birds. Any of these pests could eat away at your cover and ultimately create a space where water can leak into your flue.
Searching for Problems
Since so many random things can happen, and even a small amount of damage can let water into your chimney, the only way to really figure out if you have a problem and then solve it, is to climb up on your roof and take a closer look. A helpful trick is to bring some water onto the roof and pour it onto the cover to see if there is any leaking. However, this might not fully reveal if your cover is leaky because it often takes a lot of water to soak into cover before it drops into the chimney.
When it comes down to it, the difficulty of replacing your chimney cover depends on a lot of factors so it is hard to predict whether or not you will be able to handle the job. Some chimney just need to be glued, while others require more complicated labor. Of course, you can save some money by handling your own labor, but it is nice to have the peace of mind of a professional repair. Talk with a local roofing company today for more information about your chimney and roof condition.