by Mark Hudson | Sep 30, 2019 | waterproofing
Your chimney is at risk of serious damage if it hasn’t been waterproofed. Many homeowners think that a well-constructed chimney or professionally-installed system is good to go. Many homeowners aren’t even aware that chimneys can BE waterproofed—and should be! The truth is that water is such a hazard to a properly-functioning chimney that industry professionals have designed specialized products to protect them.
Chimney Water Damage
Your chimney is at risk for water damage year-round. Whether you live on the coast, in the mountains, in a mild climate, or elsewhere, your chimney will be affected by water. The goal of every homeowner and every chimney professional is to keep the water on the OUTSIDE of the chimney. Once it penetrates the system, it can damage it from inside out. What’s more, your chimney leak can lead to water damage and leaks in other areas of the house.
Common water damage includes:
- Rusted dampers, fireplace accessories, connectors, and glass doors
- Deterioration of metal and masonry assemblies
- Deterioration of adjacent structural materials and wall coverings
- Damaged central heating system and flue lining system
- Collapsed hearth support, tilted chimney, collapsed structure
- Chimney settlement
- Spalling masonry and damaged mortar
- Clogged clean-out area
- Water-stains of masonry, walls, floors, and furniture
Winter Water Damage
Water damage is worse in winter months than at any other time. This is because once the water penetrates the masonry through cracks or porous spaces, it freezes and expands. As the water expands, space is made and the masonry is broken apart. When a fire is lit in the system and the chimney warms up, the ice is melted and the water runs further into the damaged masonry. This process, called the freeze/thaw cycle, is repeated month after month, all winter long. The freeze/thaw cycle results in what professionals in the industry call “winter damage”. When your chimney isn’t properly waterproofed, it will take on winter damage that will need to be repaired in the spring to avoid more damage and costly repairs.
Preventable Damage
Like many problems and hazards that can affect your chimney system, water damage is also preventable. You can protect your chimney by hiring a certified professional to maintain it properly. Serving Jacksonville for over 30 years, Hudson Chimney strives to offer valuable services to our customers year after year. By choosing Hudson for all of your chimney needs, you ensure your system is ready for all the seasons, tropical storm season, fire season, and anything that comes your way. Your chimney system is meant to last years—at least as many years as your home or longer. Chimneys and fireplaces add value to your home, but only if they aren’t costing you every year in damages!
We diagnose and repair leaky chimneys, but we also prevent chimney leaks in the first place! Schedule waterproofing services with Hudson Chimney this fall and protect your masonry from tropical storms, mineral-heavy water, humidity, and more. We apply an industrial water-repellant that allows you chimney to breathe and vent properly while also keeping water molecules out. This waterproofing agent doesn’t change the look of your masonry at all, penetrates deep into the masonry, and lasts up to 8 years! If you have never waterproofed your system or have had recent masonry repairs, contact our team today to schedule.
by Mark Hudson | May 29, 2019 | chimney repairs
In Jacksonville, Hurricane season falls between June and November. Although we can expect heavy storms year-round, hurricanes can cause more damages to your home and chimney. Don’t let storm damages get you down, but give the team at Hudson Chimney a call for your chimney and fireplace repairs.
Jacksonville is our home. We work here, live here, know the area, its municipal codes and the climate. We know that ocean air can lead to efflorescence on your chimney structures, which can cause leaks and alter the look of your chimney. As we prepare for the terrible hurricane season ahead, we want to help you be more aware of storm damages and what you can do to protect your chimney.
Common Storm Damage
During and after hurricane season, we often get calls for chimney inspections. We commonly see missing or dislodged flashing, damaged chase pans, chimney caps, masonry, worn chimney crowns, and more. This type of damage can happen suddenly or over time when the chimney is exposed to tropical storms and hurricanes year after year. The most important thing is getting regular chimney inspections after burn season or hurricane season to minimize and stay on top these damages.
Professional Inspections
You can make sure your chimney system is in tip top shape by scheduling an inspection. Generally, a level one inspection is required annually when the chimney has not been through any changes. However, a level two inspection should be scheduled for natural occurrence, which affects your chimney system. When we complete a level two inspection, we include a video scan to access the entire system—even unseen portions of the flue.
After your inspection, our technician provide a detailed report including necessary footage and a repair plan. It’s important to address repairs as soon as possible to avoid more damage. If your system needs repairs, you can call Hudson Chimney now to get the necessary work done before storms come your way!
Water Damage and More
When you leave repairs undone, you leave your chimney system exposed to the elements. Missing flashing or caps and damaged crowns or masonry can allow water to go directly into your system. When water enters your system, it can ruin walls and furniture, rust parts, and even cause respiratory issues to your family members.
Hudson Chimney Repairs
Some of your masonry damages are visible. There could be missing mortar, gaps, cracks, flaking masonry, and stains. While other masonry damages are unseen, and they are only detected by a video scan during a level 2 inspection. Whatever damage you are experiencing, we have the repairs to address them. Our team of masons and certified chimney sweeps can repair your masonry with tuckpointing. We rebuild masonry, repair and seal mortar crowns, and we install flashing and caps to protect your chimney system for future storms.
For added protection for your chimney, you should also consider waterproofing your chimney. It is a simple process that protects your masonry from water penetration for many years. Call Hudson Chimney at 904-282-4159!
by Mark Hudson | Jun 7, 2018 | Chimney Leaks
Florida has been experiencing a lot of rainfall this spring. If you have a chimney system in your home, you may be noticing more than just the rainfall outside. You may also are experiencing some leaks indoors. At Hudson Chimney, our professionals are here to help you solve any leaky chimneys this spring and summer. Learn some of the causes of chimney leaks and best ways to prevent them below.
Common Causes of Leaks
Your chimney system can easily get leaks, even a minor damage can cause a leak. And a small leak can lead to major damage down the road. At Hudson Chimney, our certified technicians have plenty of experiences working with leaky chimneys. Although the causes are very easy to pin down by our professionals, we want to help you understand it. Here are some of the potential causes of a leaky chimney.
- A flashing problem – Damaged, missing, or improperly installed flashing is a leading cause for chimney leaks. The flashing protects the vulnerable intersection of the roof and chimney, and an experienced professional must install it to avoid flashing problems later on. The flashing is usually the root issues behind any chimney leaks, so that’s why our technicians begin by checking the flashing first!
- A missing or damaged cap – Your chimney cap protects the flue opening from weather, animal intrusion, and more. If the cap isn’t appropriate for your flue, it could be the cause leaks. If it’s installed improperly, it may break away from the flue and allow water in. This is a huge concern when summer rains are heavy, as a flue without a cap is wide open for rain to fall directly in.
- A cracked crown – The chimney crown must be inspected and repaired. Even a well-constructed crown can become cracked due to constant exposure to the sun and weather. A chimney professional can also repair it if the damage is caught in time. This is why annual chimney inspections are incredibly important.
- Masonry damage – Like the crown, if the masonry is damaged, even minor cracks, it will allow water to penetrate the system. Water is a nightmare for masonry and your chimney, so you must be proactive when it comes to protection your masonry against water invasion.
Prevention Against Leaky Chimneys
Proper maintenance and regular check ups of your chimney will protect you from getting a leaky chimney. By scheduling your routine chimney sweeps and annual inspections, you will be able to catch and repaired any damages before it worsens to a leak. You can protect your masonry by scheduling a professional waterproofing services. At Hudson Chimney, we trust ChimneySaver Water Repellent to protect our chimneys, especially when it comes to our friends, neighbors, and customers in and around the Jacksonville, Florida area. This vapor-permeable repellent keeps water from getting in, while still letting gas, heat, and moisture out.
Preventing a chimney leak is the best thing you can do to protect your home and family against the heavy rain and storms this summer. Call the professionals at Hudson Chimney and talk to us about waterproofing your chimney system before it’s officially summer. Give us a call at 904-282-4159 or contact us online.
by Mark Hudson | Nov 5, 2016 | Storm Damage
At Hudson Chimney, we know firsthand the affect of recent storms on our neighbors in Jacksonville and surrounding areas. Our technicians live in the area, and know the damaging affects that high winds and water have on their homes.
Hurricanes and tropical storms bring with them strong winds. These winds can can rip up flashing, damage chase pans and chimney caps, damage masonry, wear down chimney crowns and more. When these important parts of the chimney are damaged or missing, the water then has access to the chimney system. The water alone causing extensive damage itself. In our tropical climate, it’s important to repair damages like this as soon as possible. The best place to start is with a chimney inspection.
We Provide Inspections
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), you should schedule a level two chimney inspection if your chimney has experienced a change or a natural occurrence that might have compromised the integrity or safety of the chimney system, including hurricanes. Our technicians provide expert and prompt service. In addition, our inspections include a video scan of the chimney system to provide a comprehensive report for your records.
We Will Sweep Your Chimney
The chimney sweep is vital to the safety and efficiency of your chimney, especially if your chimney cap was lost during the storm. During your chimney sweep, our technicians will remove all storm debris from the chimney. Also, removing the naturally occurring buildup of creosote on the chimney walls.
Common Storm Repairs for Your Chimney
Our experience of over 30 years of operation in the area has taught us what to look for first when dealing with storm damage.
- Masonry and Fireplace Repair
Our technicians will look for and repair cracks, receding mortar joints, crumbing or cracking chimney crowns, and any other type of masonry shifting or damage. This commonly occurs due to high winds during a storm, and is worsened by prolonged water exposure.
- Chimney Relining
We look for damage to the flue liner. Depending on the type of liner in your chimney, our technicians may choose to replace it with a more durable liner. However, our chimney sweeps may choose to apply HeatShield® cerfractory sealant. This product is applied to an existing flue liner, leaving a new, heat resistant surface to your chimney liner.
- Flashing Installation and Repair
We look for flashing damage, because any damage at all will affect it’s durability. A single dent can affect the way the water flows across it. This may allow it to penetrate the flashing and the roof. Consequently causing water damage not just within the chimney, but in the home itself.
Hudson Chimney offers a full menu of chimney services and we want to be your choice for storm repairs. To find out more about waterproofing and damage prevention contact a Hudson Chimney professional today.
by Mark Hudson | Dec 13, 2015 | Water Damage And Chimneys
Since your chimney extends from your roof, it is exposed to all of the elements of weather, including rain and snow. While masonry chimneys are built to last the lifetime of a house, this constant exposure to water from rain and melted snow can cause damage and deterioration to a chimney, especially if it is neglected. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) claims that water is the biggest enemy of a masonry chimney and recommends regular maintenance to prevent expensive repairs due to water penetration damage and deterioration. Hudson Chimney would like to tell you more about how water damages your chimney and how we can help prevent this damage and deterioration.
How can water damage my chimney?
According to the CSIA, all of the masonry materials that are used to build a chimney can suffer from accelerated damage after being exposed to water for a long period of time. Water causes the bricks and mortar to erode, and during the winter when the temperature drops below freezing, any water that has been absorbed into the bricks and mortar will freeze and expand. When the weather warms up, this water will thaw and cause the masonry materials to crack and break apart. This type of damage is also known as spalling, and if left unrepaired, it can lead to bricks and pieces of mortar falling from the chimney as well as the collapse of the entire structure. If water leaks into a chimney, it can also cause rusting damage to the liner, damper, and other metal components, and it can even damage the interior of your home by staining ceilings and walls.
How can Hudson Chimney protect my chimney from water damage?
Our CSIA-certified chimney technicians have several ways to prevent water penetration of your chimney: chimney caps, flashing, and waterproofing.
Called the least expensive way to prevent water penetration of a chimney, a chimney cap keeps water from even entering into your chimney. We have several different types of caps, and our chimney experts can help you find the perfect cap for your chimney and install the cap to completely cover the opening. Chimney caps have other benefits as well, including keeping birds and animals out of the chimney and preventing hot embers and sparks from jumping out of the chimney to ignite an accidental fire. We also have chimney caps that can help improve the draft in your chimney if you have problems with backdrafting.
Consisting of pieces of metal, flashing wraps around your chimney where it meets the roof to keep water from getting in at that point. In our years of working on chimneys, we have seen inadequate flashing systems that are coming apart and actually let water enter into the chimney. We construct customized flashing systems to completely protect your chimney from water penetration. We also work with state-licensed roofers to ensure the flashing fits correctly along the roof.
Using a 100% vapor permeable formula, our chimney technicians can waterproof your chimney by applying a coat of this formula to your entire chimney. We use ChimneySaver products that are designed especially for chimneys. This formula provides a barrier on your masonry chimney that keeps water from leaking into the bricks and mortar but allows fumes and vapors to easily escape so that they do not become trapped to cause further damage.
Protect your chimney from water damage this winter. Contact us at Hudson Chimney to schedule an appointment for one of our water penetration prevention services.