lilliput start: Water damage and stone chimneys

Friday, November 23, 2012

Water damage and stone chimneys | Home Improvement Journal ...

Surprisingly, the water causes more damage than the fire Chimneys stone. Think about this for a moment. All the brick and other materials that make your house is protected by the roof and eave, all that is, except your chimney. Stout stick chimney above the roof constantly exposed to all the elements, the cycle of rain, snow and freezing / thawing.

A stone fireplace, has developed a range of stone materials and metals, including iron brick, cement, tile, steel and cast iron. All of these materials will suffer accelerated damage as a result of prolonged contact with water.

Masonry materials quickly deteriorate when exposed to the freezing / thawing in which moisture penetrates the material periodically freezes and expands, causing undue stress. Water in the chimney also causes rust in steel and cast iron, weakening or destroying the metal parts.

Water penetration can cause interior and exterior damage to your home and chimney stones including:

Crushed and broken bricks

Destruction of metal or stone stove assembly

Rusted damper assembly

What rotten wood and ruined wall coverings

Deteriorated central heating system

Rotting mortar

Cracked Liner combustion system

Water Damage Prevention

Here are four main ways to prevent water damage.

Install a chimney cap

Chimney caps, also called rain covers, are probably the most inexpensive preventive measures that homeowners apply to prevent water penetration and damage to the chimney. Chimneys have one or more large openings (channels) over which collects rainwater and channels directly to the chimney interior. A hat, strong well designed not only to make this water, but also prevent birds and animals from nesting in the chimney and entry.

Caps also function as spark arrestors, preventing sparks from landing or roof of combustible materials nearby.

Repair or replace a damaged chimney crown

Chimney crown, also referred to as the chimney wash, is the top element stone chimney. It covers and seals the top of the chimney flue liners to the chimney edge. Most stone chimneys built with inadequate crown constructed from common mortar mix, the same mixture used to lay the bricks of the fireplace. Mortar is not designed to withstand years of time and abuse without cracking, chipping or deteriorating situation allows water to penetrate the chimney. In fact, most sand and mortar crowns break immediately after installation because of shrinkage.

A proper chimney crown should be constructed of Portland cement-based mixture and cast or formed to provide excellence or drip ledge, projecting beyond all sides of the at least two inches. This drip edge directs runoff from the crown away from the sides of the chimney, helping prevent erosion of the brick and mortar of the chimney on vertical surfaces.

There are also some modern waterproof, non-shrinking, such as cement paint for repairing damaged mortar crowns that seem to work well.

Repair or replace flashing

Flashing seal between the roofing material and the chimney. Flashing prevents rain water flowing from the chimney into the room where it can damage ceilings or walls, or cause rot in the ceiling, beams or other structural elements. The most effective flashing consists of two elements, the flashing and counter flashing.

Base is a slight flicker L-shaped metal that extends below the edge of the fireplace and roof shingles. Counter flashing, which overlaps the base flashing, joints embedded and sealed in a stone chimney. The flashing both elements allows both the roof and the chimney to expand or shrink their own pace, without breaking the waterproof seal in either area.

Waterproof chimney

Most of the stone material is porous and absorbs large amounts of water. Common brick is like a sponge that absorbs water and absorbs moisture in the fireplace. Defective mortar joints or incorrect or brick mortar can increase the tendency to understand and convey the water to the structure of the stone chimney.

Some of the products developed specifically for use as waterproofing agents on Chimneys stone. Vapor permeable formula is the sense that they allow the fireplace to blow but not in. Therefore, the water penetrated the chimney, or moisture that comes from inside, is allowed to escape, while the waterproofing agent prevents water from entering from the outside.

Paint, or non-permeable sealing steam to the water should not be used as a waterproofing agent because they trap moisture inside the chimney, accelerating the damage.

Masonry chimneys water damage is usually slow and gentle. The problem is usually not seen until it becomes severe.

Although the steps in the prevention of water can cost a few dollars initially saved the biggest load of large stone repair or rebuild the entire chimney in the not too distant, and thus is an excellent investment in your home.