Chimney Repairs

Chimney Caps

Chimney caps (fireplace caps) are so important to have on every chimney flue. Chimney caps, sometimes called chimney toppers, have 3 major benefits including:

1. A chimney cap prevents water from entering the chimney anytime it rains
2. A chimney cap can stop downdrafts from entering the home which can cause your home to fill with smoke, especially in windy areas
3. When mesh netting is installed with the chimney cap, animals are prevented from entering the chimney. Birds are drawn to the warmth provided by a chimney and will build nests in uncapped chimneys, which causes serious clogging.

 

Chimney Crowns

The chimney crown (also referred to as the chimney wash) is the top element of a masonry chimney. It covers and seals the top of the chimney from the flue liner to the chimney edge. Chimney crowns are the strength, or weakness, of a masonry chimney. Crowns in poor condition let water seep deeply into the chimney resulting in a breeding grown for mold. Timely repair to this part of the chimney can save thousands of dollars in future damage. Either a new cement crown or repair with an elastic material is determined by the state of deterioration.

Chimney Flashing

Chimney flashing, or lack of it, is the major reason for calls about chimney water leaks that we receive. More often than not, the culprit is the chimney flashing — the sheet metal that keeps the intersection between the chimney and roof watertight. The flashing is sheet metal installed for the purpose of ensuring that the connection between the chimney and roof is watertight, but the effectiveness of flashing eventually expires. A leaky chimney can cause all sorts of problems which require costly repair. The best way to avoid moisture issues caused by flashing is to get an annual chimney inspection; every aspect of the chimney system is carefully inspected.

Firebox Repairs

When you light a fire, you are igniting it in the firebox. The firebox is the area that surrounds the flames and is made with firebricks and high heat plaster called refractory mortar. Not all fireboxes are built with the correct firebricks or heat resistant plaster, and that is why some do not last as long as others. If there is crumbling in the mortar, loose bricks or air coming through the firebox bricks, do not use it. If the bricks are still intact and only the mortar needs replacing, Santa's Little Helper Chimney Cleaning & Repair can perform tuckpointing on the existing firebox.