Water seeping through a chimney is a big problem that affects many people and therefore it’s important to understand the reasons for this. Water seeping could happen due to problems in the chimney widely speaking. But there could be many instances where the main problem is not a part of the chimney as large. Whatever the issue is let’s look at some of the reasons and problems with water seeping through on a chimney wall Along with a few practical solutions.
A very common problem most homeowners have is when rainwater seeps through the chimney right from the top. The main reason that lets water get through your chimney wall in this situation is not having a proper chimney cover. A chimney cover is the number one thing to consider if you are serious about protecting it from cats, birds and most importantly rainwater that crawl through your chimney.
And it’s just not only that, a chimney cover will also protect your chimney from producing toxins in your home. Chimney cover protects the chimney from getting blocked when debris fallen into it. Unwanted debris and blockages could create harmful air that’s unhealthy for both humans and our pets. The solution to this problem is as simple as getting a chimney cover.
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Did you know that moisture can cause water to seep through a chimney?
You wouldn’t have thought that moisture could be among one of the most unknown problems with water seeping through on a chimney wall. When trying to figure out the problems associated with leaking chimney walls, it’s important to pay attention to the extra moisture found on the outside wall of your chimney and ask for professional advice regarding the reason for it. Because extra moisture could also very well be an indication of water seeping through your chimney wall.
Moisture is also an invitation to the formation of molds. Have you noticed molds on wet garages and also in places where there are pipelines in your house? The same theory applies to your chimney wall as well. Another problem that’s associated with moisture on your chimney wall it damages the paint of your chimney causing adverse effects to its plastering.
How to stop water leakage from wall
Problems with water seeping through on a chimney wall’s crown
Have you noticed the cement structure at the top of the chimney? This is called the chimney crown. This part is there to stop the snow and rain from coming down thechimney wall. The crown is made up of bricks that’s followed along with a solid cement-based structure for maximum security of the chimney. As a practice, it’s always good to keep an eye on the crown of your chimney wall regularly to make sure that it has no damages that lead to water leaks. So, any sort of a crack is an indication that the chimney wall has been damaged and this will lead to water getting through to your chimney easily.
How can we fix cracks in the crown? This is considered as masonry work, therefore fixing a damaged crown should depend on the length of the crack. We cannot ignore small cracks because the small cracks in your crown will lead to a bigger damage in the long run if we leave it as it is for a long time. What you need to do even if you see a small crack in the crown is to call up a mason and fix it as soon as possible before things get out of hand. Don’t wait till this small crack in your chimney crown turns into a bigger one the following year.
A wall can pass through water
Yes, that’s true motor and brick that binds your chimney wall can let water pass through it easily with time. Although it sounds surprising, there are times where water seeps through both brick and mortar just like the crown. How this happens is a bit tricky for many of us, let me explain what that means.
You know that brick and mortar are the main components that bind the chimney wall. And when it rains brick and mortar absorbs the water into it. This is not a problem when there is lots of sunshine. The water that’s absorbed into the motor or brick will eventually be vaporized after a couple of hours naturally.
But a problem arises during a cold or winter season when there’s no sunshine to take care of this absorbed water. Actually, in some places, it doesn’t have to be winter. There could be instances where there is a particular side of the chimney wall which is always covered, without sunlight no matter the season. This may happen due to other buildings or trees that cover the chimney wall from sunlight completely with their shadow.
Example 1
Too bad these types of shady areas of a chimney wall, will stay wet for a very long time because the evaporation is pretty slow. This is also one of the most unnoticed problems with water seeping through on a chimney wall. Is there anything we can do about this situation? Well at this age, we hear a lot of water-resistant structures. Same goes for chimneys. But when it comes to making a chimney wall water resistant, there are some things that we need to be mindful of.
We can apply a waterproofing agent to prevent water seeping through brick and mortar to make it at least water resistant to a great extent. We need to keep in mind to apply the waterproofing material after the brick and mortar has completely dried out.
Example 2
We have to wait till its fully dry because if there’s water trapped in bricks or mortar at the time you apply waterproofing material, this trapped water could trickle down into your house. And you don’t want that to happen. So, if you are planning to hire a professional on fixing make sure both brick and mortar are fully dry. Especially when using silicone based water sealing material.
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