When you’re noticing water in or around your chimney, or suspect that there is an issue with a chimney leak in your Indianapolis home, what causes these issues? What happens if the leak is left unrepaired? What needs to happen to repair the leak? In this article, we’ll get into these questions and more, helping you gain a strong grasp of how to handle these frustrating issues.
Chimney Leaks: What Causes Them and What to Look For
Chimney leaks occur when the seal between the chimney and roof, or between the bricks that make up the chimney and the mortar, has cracks in them. This allows water to penetrate the chimney’s interior or exterior sides, leaking down and causing water damage to your home.
What Causes Chimney Leaks?
Chimney leaks in your Indianapolis home can occur in one of three ways. The first involves leaking around the chimney’s exterior, often because the flashing, or sealing material, which covers the gap between the chimney and the roof’s surface has become compromised, damaged, or come off.
However, there can be a second cause of chimney leaks as well. Over time or on account of damage from a blow, the mortar between the bricks of your chimney can become damaged, allowing moisture to leak between the joints in the mortar. As temperatures reach freezing, the moisture can freeze, causing additional damage to the mortar and increasing the leakage that takes place.
The final cause of chimney leaks takes place if the chimney cap is damaged or missing. Acting as a tiny roof on the top of your chimney, a missing or damaged chimney cap can allow rainwater to enter your chimney’s interior. This is a relatively straightforward process that simply requires repairing or replacing the chimney cap.
What are Signs of a Chimney Leak?
Chimney leaks have a few different symptoms, some of which will help you diagnose where the water is coming from. If you notice water inside your fireplace, it’s because the water is reaching the interior of your chimney, either through the interior from damaged mortar or a missing chimney cap. These issues allow the water to enter the chimney interior and continue into your fireplace.
However, there is another issue that can arise from a chimney leak in your Indianapolis home. When the leak is in the flashing between your chimney and roof, the water leaks down the chimney’s exterior into your home. This will typically show up as staining or leaks on ceilings or walls around your chimney.
What Happens if a Chimney Leak is Left Unrepaired?
The impact of a chimney leak in your Indianapolis home depends on where it is, with three different scenarios playing out.
If the leak is because of a missing or damaged chimney cap, not only can water enter the interior of your chimney, but small animals and insects can then also enter your home. Though it seems strange to people, birds, small animals, rodents, and even raccoons often find your chimney a nice, dry, protected space to make a nest. Even worse, insect pests such as flies and fleas can enter your home through this issue.
If the leak happens because of damaged mortar, and the problem is left unattended to, the problem will get worse. The moisture will freeze and expand as it crystalizes, causing additional damage to the mortar and bricks, which in turn allows more moisture to enter the space. Eventually, this process can cause the entire chimney system to fail, requiring expensive renovation or rebuilding.
Finally, if the leak is happening because of leaking, damaged, or missing flashing, the damage caused by water leaking into your home will continue. As time goes on, this may lead to structural damage to your home, damage to your roof’s structure, and issues with mold or mildew in your ceilings or walls, leading to significant health issues.
How is a Chimney Leak Repaired?
Chimney leaks are fairly easy to repair if they’re caught quickly. As soon as you notice symptoms, have the issue checked by a qualified chimney professional. They’ll be able to determine the exact source of the leak, whether it’s in the masonry, the cap, or the flashing, and then fix the problem. With the chimney leak repaired, you can simply get on with your life.
If you’re having issues with a chimney leak in Indianapolis or need brick, mortar, or flashing repair, the experienced professionals at Clean Sweep are happy to help. Why not request an appointment or contact us today to get started?