The chimney is exposed to all of the elements all of the time, so it needs to be well maintained. The most common chimneys in our country are constructed out of brick or metal. Both need to be maintained annually to prevent any form of corrosion. A number of checks need to be done on the chimney well before the rainy season, to prevent the water from penetrating your home.
Chimney cowl
Chimneys have an opening staring straight up at the sky and if the chimney cap is incorrectly installed or the wrong one for the job, water will come in and start to corrode both the fireplace and the chimney. To begin with, be sure to ensure that the cowl is in good condition and not rusting. The cowl is usually a hood-shaped covering used to increase the draft of the chimney and prevent backflow. It is designed to keep the wind from blowing the smoke back down the chimney and to keep rain water out. Many cowls are wind directional and enclose the area of the chimney that is facing the wind and rain. If the cowl is rusted and not rotating correctly, it will not be able to protect the chimney from water damage. If this is the case with your chimney, it is recommended that you smear some grease onto the rotating components of the cowl and make sure it is moving freely. If the metal is badly rusted, then you will need to sand it down, repaint it with fire paint and add some grease to aid in easy movement.
Chimney crown
The chimney crown found on brick chimneys is very often the first place to look for a possible water leakage. It usually comprises a sloping cement frame around the opening at the top of the chimney. This is very often cracked and should actually be replaced rather than fixed. Remove the old crown and get a builder to replace it. To ensure that it does not crack again, buy the roof sealer that is used with a membrane - apply the membrane onto the cement crown to seal it up properly.
Flashing
In the areas where the chimney juts out of the roof, you will always find what is termed as flashing. In essence, all flashing is, is sheet metal that is shaped and attached to a roof for strength and weatherproofing. The flashing running adjacent to a chimney is often the cause of water leakage. Make sure it is in good condition and repair it if need be. The roof sealer and membrane will serve you well for waterproofing and repairing minor faults in the flashing.
General issues
If the chimney is made of steel , it needs to be sealed and given a new coat of paint every few years to prevent it from rusting. Sometimes the chimney will have a bend in it, and this needs to be checked very carefully . It is usually at the bends where the water will gain access to your home. All the joins in the chimney should be resealed annually, as these often become a problem because they are always expanding and contracting as a result of the heat from the fire below.
Bricks are like sponges and without being sealed they will absorb the water and eventually result in serious damage to the main body of the chimney. Brick chimneys need to be sealed with a sealer and the plastered ones should be repainted annually. This will not only keep your chimney looking good, but it will also serve to protect the bricks from water damage.
By keeping your chimney watertight, you will also be protecting the fireplace in your home as these days most of them are made out of metal and if your chimney leaks, the water will end up rusting your fireplace too. – Antonella Dési
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