In our years of repairing chimneys in the Charleston area, Ashbusters knows the amount of damage water leaks can do to a chimney. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) names water as the leading cause of chimney damage. To protect your chimney from water leaks, you have several preventive maintenance options, and we are proud to provide a variety of services that can keep water out of your chimney. We would like to focus on one of the most important ways of preventing water leaks: chimney flashing.
What is chimney flashing?
The seal between the roof and the chimney, chimney flashing consists of metal sheets that are wrapped around your chimney and fastened to the shingles of your roof. In order to best protect this extremely vulnerable area for water leaks, the flashing should be customized to perfectly fit. Unfortunately, it can be easy to incorrectly install flashing, and bad flashing jobs can end up causing water leaks. You can count on Ashbusters to properly install chimney flashing because we always install two layers. The first layer is the inner base flashing, which we then cover with the second layer, the counter flashing. These two layers are important as they allow the flashing to expand and contract without breaking the watertight seal.
What kind of damage does water leaks do to chimneys?
When water leaks occur at the area where your chimney meets the roof, the water can damage the inside of your home. These types of chimney water leaks can rot the wood that surrounds the chimney and stain ceilings and walls. Water leaks can also affect the metal components of your chimney. Your chimney liner and damper can suffer from rust corrosion that can lead to problems. The liner can become cracked, which allows heat to spread to the combustible parts of your home and toxic gases like carbon monoxide to enter your living space. Your chimney itself can be damaged severely from water leaks. The bricks and mortar can erode, and if this damage is left unrepaired, the structure of your chimney could be seriously compromised. We have seen the entire structures of chimneys collapse from water deterioration.
How else can I protect my chimney from water damage?
Ashbusters offers several water penetration prevention services that will keep water from damaging your chimney and your home. We can install a chimney cap on the top of your chimney to prevent water from rain and melted ice and snow from getting inside. We also repair and construct chimney crowns that cover the top of your chimney. If you already have an existing flashing system that has been damaged, we offer flashing repair services. Since the bricks and mortar joints of your chimney are naturally porous, we recommend our waterproofing services that create a barrier against water penetration. Our expert staff can recommend the best combination of these water leak preventive measures that will give your chimney the ultimate protection from water leak damage.
Keep water out of your chimney with a new customized flashing system. Contact us at Ashbusters to schedule an appointment to protect your chimney and prolong its life.