Chimney Leaks
Water leaks relating to the chimney are quite common as a property ages or following other works that have disturbed something within the chimney. Leaks can travel away from their source confusing customers as to the reason behind the leak.
A leaking chimney usually presents itself to the homeowner in the following ways: peeling wallpaper, a damp patch on or near the chimney breast (at any level of the property), water in the fireplace, dripping noise in the chimney, rust on your fireplace grate or flue pipe.
It is not unusual to hear from customers who have had remedial works carried out to their chimney stack by a third party, to then find that the leak persists. In these cases, we are able to use our many years of experience to offer a suitable resolution. We also have specialists to undertake areas such as leadwork which can cause further issues when poorly installed by an unqualified individual.
Causes
- No cap
- Damaged cowl
- Frost
- Faulty flashing
- Deteriorated brickwork/mortar
- Deteriorated/defective flaunching
- Condensation within the flue
- No lead tray(s)
- Damage caused by poor installation of the flue liner
- Deterioration of the flue liner
Remedies
- CCTV inspection of the flue shaft/flue liner to highlight any defects
- Drone inspection of the exterior of the chimney to determine the cause
- Cap or cowl installation/replacement with new weather flaunching
- Chimney repointing
- Replacement leadwork
- New or replacement flue liner
- Chimney rebuild with new lead trays
- *Please note: Applying waterproofing/water repellent to the exterior of the stack does not allow the chimney to breathe which may cause further issues.
Dangers of untreated chimney leaks
Untreated damp and mould can cause or aggravate respiratory issues and affect the immune system. Babies, children, the elderly and those with asthma or pre-existing respiratory conditions are more susceptible. Adverse signs to look out for include those similar to an allergic reaction; sneezing, runny nose, rash, red eyes, loss of breath or asthma attacks.
