5 Signs Your Chimney Needs A Repair

It’s often difficult to notice anything out of the ordinary when it comes to your chimney. If you’re not looking closely for certain signs, it’s very hard to tell if your chimney needs to be fixed, so we’ve come up with five telltale signs that your chimney needs a professional check up and subsequent repair.

1. Damaged wallpaper:

   Take a look at the walls closest to your chimney and examine the state of the wallpaper. If it appears damaged, it could mean that there is too much moisture in the chimney. The flue will probably need to be repaired and until then, it’s best that you do not use the fireplace to ensure that your wallpapers doesn’t accrue further damage.

2. Broken crown:

   This is a little harder to spot than damaged wallpaper. In order to check if your chimney’s crown is broken, you can either take a trip to your rooftop or grab a pair of binoculars and stand on your lawn looking up. Alternatively, you can use your smartphone to zoom in on the your chimney if you don’t have a pair of binoculars. When the chimney’s crown cracks the damage allows moisture to get in causing it to seep into the liner.

   In order to avoid further breaks to the crown, you will need to call a professional to weatherproof your chimney. Or, if your chimney has already been weatherproofed, you may need to have the lining replaced. Either way, it is dangerous to do on your own.

3. Staining:

   If you notice white stains on and around your chimney, it’s time for a repair. This white discolouration is called efflorescence and if not treated promptly will deteriorate your entire chimney system. Efflorescence occurs when moisture builds up in the masonry. As you’ve no doubt noticed, moisture is usually the culprit when it comes to chimney issues.

4. Shaling:

   Take a look at your fireplace. If you notice thin slices of chimney tile (shaling) collecting there, you probably have a damaged flue. The flue lining plays a very important role in the overall safety of your chimney and when it gets damaged, you need to repair it ASAP. Besides noticeable shaling, your chimney’s tiles may also sport severe cracks which is another safety issue.

5. Spalling:

   This is a problem that happens to the outside of the chimney. If you notice small pieces of masonry around the bottom of your chimney structure, it’s time for a repair. Moisture, the usual offender, can cause the surface of the chimney brick, concrete or stone to peel, pop or flake off. This is called spalling and when not taken care of immediately it can lead to the whole chimney crumbling away.

If your chimney is looking a little worse for wear, contact Royal York Roofing today.