A chimney and fireplace system is a complex set of parts that all need to work together. Because most of these parts are out of sight, it’s easy to forget about some of the most important materials that help you make good use out of your fireplace, including the chimney flashing. Have you maintained your chimney’s flashing? Do you know what it does and why it is so important? Who should you hire to inspect and repair it, if necessary? Can a professional in chimney cleaning in Alpharetta do this work for you? Find out the answers to these questions below before you use your fireplace again.
How It Works
The chimney allows smoke from your fireplace to rise and escape into the air above your home, but there are other important parts that make this possible. There’s the damper, which seals your fireplace (and, therefore, the interior of your home) from the outdoor elements, but it needs to be opened when you use the fireplace so that smoke doesn’t fill your home. The smoke chamber guides this smoke from the hearth up to the flue, and the flue guides it upward and outside above your roof. The flashing, meanwhile, plays an important part of this process. The flashing is a seal that is placed where the chimney and roof meet, creating a tight transition between the chimney and roofing materials. Why is this important? Without flashing, chimney cleaning would be a constant task. There would be a glaring gap between the chimney and the roof through which moisture and other unwanted matter can seep into your home.
Signs You Need Chimney Repair
If the flashing on your roof is in any way damaged, there are a few clear signs you should look for, including:
- Water leaks in your living room
- Stained walls around your fireplace
- Watermarks on the ceiling
- A scraping sound coming from your roof (a sign flashing is loose and flapping)
- An increase in pest activity in your attic
There are many reasons why your chimney’s flashing may become damaged, but it’s unfortunately hard to predict. Even high-quality flashing installed by a qualified professional can suddenly loosen, form gaps, or recede from the vertical chimney walls. Bad weather, aggressive pests looking to get into your home, and frequent moisture exposure can slowly damage flashing.
Why Repair It
It is far cheaper to hire a chimney sweep and repair professional to fix your flashing than to pay for water damage cleanup or advanced pest removal. For chimney specialists, identifying damaged flashing is simple, and repairing it is just as easy. It is a quick process that can save you a great deal of money. Be sure to have your chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year so that flashing damage can be identified early and fixed quickly.
If you want to know who to hire for these services, simply find professional chimney cleaning in Alpharetta. Whether you have advanced damaged or just some soot that needs removing, a chimney sweep is your first line of defense against worn flashing and all the complications that come with it.