If you find puddles of water inside your fireplace, check your chimney for leaks. The roof flashing around your chimney could be deteriorated enough to allow rainwater into your home. Learn why chimneys leak and how you can fix the flashing around your chimney below.
Why Do Chimneys Leak?
Many homeowners don't think much about their chimneys until something happens to them. However, chimneys can leak just like any other structure on your roof if they experience a problem with their flashing. If you don't fix the leak in your chimney, it can quickly create problems with your roof's shingles and other structures.
Flashing should seal out moisture and water throughout the year. But over time, flashing can deteriorate and leave the surface of your roof vulnerable to water damage. Eventually, the water settling on the surface of your roof makes its way inside your home.
You could place leak-proof flashing around your chimney to keep water out of your fireplace. However, the shingles and underlayment surrounding your chimney could already have some type of water damage in them. In this case, you'll need to replace your chimney's flashing and repair the damage to your roof.
How Do You Fix Your Chimney's Flashing?
First, hire a roofing contractor and request services for your chimney and roof. A roofing contractor will visit your home and inspect the chimney and shingles surrounding it for damage. If a roofer only discovers problems with your chimney's flashing, they'll remove and replace it for you.
A roofer may also install or place a chimney cricket near the back of your chimney. The cricket helps redirect water away from the chimney's base when it rains during the year. You can also choose to install a drainage system around your chimney to ensure it stays safe from water damage.
If you have damaged shingles around your chimney, a contractor will tear off the structures and replace them immediately. If water penetrated the underlayment beneath the shingles and caused serious damage to it, a roofer may need to replace it as well. The underlayment covers and protects the roof's sheathing. If the sheathing becomes damaged from rain, your entire roofing system will fail.
A roofing contractor may schedule regular maintenance checks of your roof and chimney after they repair the structures. You can also report changes in your chimney or roof to a contractor immediately after you notice them. The reports and maintenance checks will keep your roof and chimney in good condition for years to come.
If you suspect a leak in your chimney or roof, consult a roofing service such as Weatherguard Inc today.
When you have something you like inside a jar, you probably put a lid on it — right? In a way, you can think of your house in the same manner. You like and value the items inside, along with the inside of the house itself. So, it only makes sense that you would protect the interior of your home with a lid. That lid is your roof.
Keep that perspective in mind as you read this blog. Learning more about roofing will feel more interesting if you remember what a roof does: it protects the inside of the home and the people who live in it.