How Your Chimney Shows Signs of Being Under the Weather

However, because of its location, it can sometimes be difficult to spot issues resulting from uncertain weather conditions on your chimney. In this blog, we will learn how different weather conditions can affect your chimney.

Chimney backdrafts

A chimney backdraft occurs when smoke from your fireplace leads back to your living area. Since the smoke contains harmful carbon monoxide and other toxins that can potentially damage your lungs and respiratory system, a chimney backdraft must be treated immediately.

During the colder months, the chimney flue may absorb the outside temperature and add a block of cold, heavy air that may impede the warmer, lighter air, i.e., smoke, from rising and exiting your chimney safely.

If you are experiencing backdrafts during the winter, you can simply kindle a newspaper near the damper for a while to warm up the flue before you light your fireplace.

Drafting obstructions

During the winter, we prefer staying inside in our cozy living rooms. Similarly, critters like raccoons and squirrels look for hiding places to protect themselves from falling temperatures. One of their common hideouts is your chimney.

If you hear any knocking sound from inside the chimney, you should inspect it and rattle the chimney base before lighting the fire. If a bird or a squirrel is hanging out in your chimney, it will get scared by the rattling and escape.

Chimney leaks

Chimney leaks aren’t always too visible. Sometimes you may only see damp marks on your ceiling that indicate a leaking chimney. If there is a leak, the masonry surrounding your chimney may be compromised and continue to deteriorate if the problem is not fixed quickly.

Many chimney leaks occur during the winter. Small holes and cracks in the mortar and bricks allow rainwater or melting snow to penetrate the walls. When the temperature falls, the moisture in the masonry expands and thaws, creating internal decay.

To fix this problem, you will need to call a chimney inspection service that is certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). They will locate the damaged area and fix it through tuckpointing, brick replacement, or partial chimney rebuilding. At this point, you must also get your water sealant checked and reapplied to protect your chimney from future water leakages.

Damaging other chimney components

Other chimney components such as chimney caps, crowns, and flashing can be damaged during brutal weather conditions, Including strong winds, pounding hills, freezing temperatures, and lightning strikes.

Strong winds and hails can destabilize the top of your chimney, including the chimney crown and chimney cap.

Lightning can be deadly for you and your home. If the lightning strikes your chimney, it can damage its entire structure causing it to crumble down on your roof. In case of lightning, you may need to contact a professional chimney restoration service to replace the masonry and rebuild the entire chimney.

How to avoid weather damage to your chimney?

Although it’s impossible to completely prevent bad weather’s consequences, with little care and regular maintenance, you can significantly minimize the risks.

Since many chimney issues are not visible from the outside, scheduling regular chimney inspections allows you to identify and locate lurking chimney issues and fix them before it’s too late.

Creative Masonry & Chimney is one of the leading chimney service providers in Connecticut. Their team is fully certified, licensed, and equipped with the latest tools to perform a wide range of chimney repair and maintenance services, including but not limited to chimney cleaning, restoration, inspection, and rebuilding.

Their masons and chimney inspectors take great care in addressing your chimney needs with compassion and kindness. That’s one of the reasons why Creative Masonry & Chimney is known for its amazing customer care!

If you’re interested in the company’s services, contact them today to benefit from their expertise.

About the Author: Samuel D. is a chimney specialist who has worked for various chimney service providers in Connecticut. He also frequently writes on social media sites to offer valuable insights about different chimney systems and fireplaces.