Chimneys play a vital role vital role in keeping our homes watertight and safe. If your chimney is damaged, it is important to that it is repaired quickly before it causes even more damage. It is important to regularly check your chimney to ensure that is is in good repair and working efficiently. There are various parts to a chimney and various things that can go wrong, below are some common problems.
How do you know if you need chimney repair?
Concrete and mortar are strong materials, but with the intense heat from the inside and being battered by the elements on the outside, chimneys can become damaged in various ways, here are some ways a chimney can be damaged:
- Wind Damage – Sustained heavy winds can damage a chimney. This damage can be in the form of damage to the chimney pot, cracks in the bricks and mortar, and damage to the lead flashing.
- Heavy Rain – During storms and heavy rainfall, water can be driven into existing cracks, in the winter this water can freeze and expand the cracks, then when it melts the water sinks deeper causing more and more damage. The water ingress can also result in the oxidisation and rusting of metal components.
- Wildlife – Birds can nest in chimneys and mice can get in and cause damage too. Mice will chew through many materials and bird nests can block the chimney.
- Fire Damage – Bird nests are one of the more common issues, but sometimes an open fire can result in ash build up inside the chimney, and this can cause fires. A fire in your chimney can cause a lot of damage.
What should I do about a crumbling chimney?
If your chimney is damaged and crumbling it is important to act quickly. If only a few bricks are damaged in a small area, it may be easier to identify the problem, but it is vital that the chimney is inspected by a professional roofing company to identify the full extent of the damage.
This is done by inspecting all areas around the damage including the bricks themselves, the mortar between the bricks, the chimney cap and crown. If the crown or the cap are the source of the damage, sealing them may be all that is required. If left it could deteriorate so much that it causes more substantial damage to the roof around it requiring an entire roof replacement, so it is definitely worth repairing sooner rather than later. However, if it is not immediately obvious where the damage is and how it has occurred a deeper investigation may be needed.
Call us as soon as possible on 01709 212 666 or fill in the form at the top of this page and we will come to you and inspect the situation. We will then be able to let you know how serious the problem is and give you a free no-obligation quote to carry out a professional repair.