Chimney System & Fireplace Repairs

Your chimney serves an immeasurably important purpose: it safely carries dangerous gases out of your fireplace, wood stove or furnace and, thus, out of your house. Because the majority of the chimney is hidden from view, only a chimney professional can tell for certain whether or not your chimney is functioning safely and efficiently. Over its lifetime, your chimney faces an abundance of enemies—among them water and wind, creosote and animals/insects like birds, wasps, bats and opossums.

Our chimney sweeps will shore up your chimney against the elements and protect it from creosote, water vapors and other pollutants. We’ll also keep pesky animals out. It is very important that your chimney is clean and structurally sound for the health and well-being of all the members of your household. This is one part of your home that you really don’t want to take chances with. If you suspect that your chimney or fireplace needs repairing, don’t delay! Call Hudson Chimney today to get a professional opinion and a chimney evaluation.

What’s Wrong with My Chimney?

Funneling dangerous fumes out of the living area is the primary purpose of a chimney. Chimneys also exist to create the draft that provides the proper air and fuel mixture for efficient operation of your heating appliance. Unfortunately, too many chimneys being used today are not operating safely or efficiently. If you have noticed the sound of dripping water, soot or smoke stains on your walls, smoke in your house, a strong campfire-like odor coming from your chimney or something else that seems “off” about your fireplace or chimney, you may have a chimney or fireplace in need of repair. Please note that soot stains are carbon particles and if you’re seeing soot stains in your home this means carbon monoxide fumes have been inside your home.

Here are some issues our chimney technicians commonly discover and repair for our customers:

• The chimney flue or fireplace is oversized or undersized, too tall or too short
• The chimney’s connector pipes are leaky
• The chimney flue has cracked flue tiles or other structural defects or deterioration causing fumes to enter the home
• The chimney damper is not open or working correctly
• The chimney is not lined or the lining is damaged
• There’s been a chimney fire that the homeowner is not aware of
• The chimney is located in a one-story room of a two-story house that commonly suffers from negative pressure problems

If your chimney used to work well but doesn’t anymore, make sure to consider whether or not you have made any changes to your home that affect its ability to draft. For instance, have you added a new room, weather stripping, replacement windows, new siding, extra insulation or a new appliance like a high-efficiency clothes dryer? In some cases, one of our team members can suggest things you can do to fix a smoking chimney. But many times only a certified chimney sweep will be able to make the necessary repairs to keep your chimney safe.

Neglected chimneys usually have cracks where water is getting in. If left alone, a leaky chimney can cause significant water damage to your home. If you think your chimney may be leaking, call Hudson Chimney, not a roofer. Take it from us: chimney sweeps know chimneys and roofers know roofs.

Among other chimney and fireplace repairs, Hudson Chimney is available to do tuckpointing, firebox repair and rebuilding, masonry repairs, and mortar crown installation.

A common repair for many chimneys is having it relined. That’s why Hudson Chimney offers this and many other services when it comes to chimneys and fireplaces.