It gets cold here in Wisconsin and this year is definitely no exception. When a polar vortex arrives, there is nothing better than staying indoors and enjoying a nice, warm, crackling, fire. However, if your chimney is vulnerable to moisture intrusion, your chimney may not be operable when cold weather comes. Trapped moisture in your masonry wreaks havoc on your chimney in a number of ways, but when you combine moisture with cold winter temperatures, it can be a recipe for disaster. Here at The Chimney Guy, we have been working on chimney’s for over 20 years and we know full well what a Wisconsin winter will do to chimney masonry if there’s moisture in it.
Moisture and Your Masonry
You may not be able to see it, but there are tiny pores in your chimney’s masonry. If water from rain, sleet, or snow is allowed to settle on your masonry, it can seep into these pores, creating tiny pools of water inside of your bricks and mortar. Since the inside of your masonry is cooler and free from light, these pools can sit in your masonry for a long time. When winter comes around, these pools will freeze and expand, weakening your masonry. If moisture intrusion is allowed to continue, it won’t be long until you start to notices issues with your masonry such as cracked and crumbling bricks or missing mortar. If it gets to this point, your chimney may not function properly and it will be a significant safety hazard due to the potential for falling bricks.
Protecting Your Chimney
There are a number of devices designed to protect your chimney from moisture intrusion. Two of these devices are your chimney crown and your chimney cap. Your chimney crown sits on top of your chimney and surrounds the chimney opening. It was constructed out of cement at the same time your chimney was and it prevents water from resting on top of your chimney masonry. Your chimney cap sits above your chimney opening and is designed to prevent moisture from falling inside of your chimney opening.
Although these devices help control a good portion of water intrusion, sometimes older masonry needs a little more protection. That’s where The Chimney Guy comes in. Using a product called ChimneySaver® we can put a protective barrier on your chimney, protecting it from moisture, mildew, stains, and the effects of the freeze/thaw cycle.
If your chimney is already in need of repair from the freeze/thaw cycle, The Chimney Guy can help you with that as well. Our expert masons can repair your masonry with our tuckpointing and brick replacement services.
Give The Chimney Guy a Call
Is your chimney safe from moisture intrusion? Call The Chimney Guy at 920-830-1920 or schedule an appointment today to have one of our chimney experts inspect your chimney today! Your chimney masonry will thank you!
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