Chimneys are made to stand up to the damaging effects of weather: snow, rain, wind, hail, and heat. But even the best built chimney will eventually begin to show wear and tear from season after season of ChimneySaver The Best Product for Waterproofing Your Chimney IMG-changing weather conditions. It’s important to know how your chimney is made and what can happen to it as time passes so that you can take a proactive approach to making sure that you will be able to enjoy your fireplace for many long years.

What Is My Chimney Made Of?

Chimneys can be made of different materials held together by mortar: stone, brick, or in some cases, even block. Although it doesn’t seem like it, bricks and block are porous, and although less porous, even stones can absorb water over time. But the biggest problem area of a chimney tends to be the mortar that holds your building materials together. And when water enters any of the products that make up your chimney, it can cause deterioration to occur.

What Can I Do?

It is important to keep an eye on your chimney for visible signs of water penetration and damage. According to Chimneys.com, one of the first signs of water damage is spalling. Spalling refers to the flaking, peeling, or cracking that you can see on the surface of the bricks of your chimney; this is a sign that moisture has entered your bricks and is causing a breakdown. Be sure to check the mortar between your bricks, also. If the mortar between the bricks is crumbly or soft, chances are water has penetrated and caused damage. If visible damage is evident in your bricks or mortar, you may be in for some expensive repairs.

Inspections Are Important

It is possible for you as a homeowner to see visible damage on the exterior of your chimney; however, the better option would be to schedule annual inspections by Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified inspectors such as the professionals at Michael’s Chimney Service. These professionals have been specially trained to detect the signs of deterioration on the exterior and the interior of your chimney. They will be able to give recommendations as to repairs that need to take place to get your chimney up and running efficiently.

Waterproofing

Once an inspector has given your chimney a thorough inspection and any damage has been repaired, an excellent option to keep it from moisture damage is to have your chimney waterproofed. CSIA  stresses the importance of using a product that will waterproof the exterior of your chimney while allowing the vapors that form from using your fireplace to escape. This is important because if these vapors remain in your chimney, the interior of your chimney could sustain the water damage that you are trying to prevent.

ChimneySaver

A great product to use for waterproofing your chimney is ChimneySaver. ChimneySaver is 100% water permeable, mildew and fungus resistant, offers protection from the freeze/thaw cycle, and is environmentally friendly. This is the product that the technicians at Michael’s Chimney Service use to ensure that your chimney has the best waterproofing treatment in the industry.

Call the experts at Michael’s Chimney Service and you can rest assured that you will get top of the industry service using only the best products available.