Caps

4 Causes of Chimney Crown Cracks

When was the last time you inspected your chimney crown? If you’re like most homeowners, you probably haven’t given much thought to your chimney crown. However, if your chimney crown is cracked and not repaired, damage to your chimney from water and other outdoor elements can quickly escalate, costing you thousands of dollars in repairs. Therefore, it’s important that your chimney crown is in good condition.

A chimney crown is the concrete slab that covers the top of your chimney. The crown protects your chimney from harsh weather like rain and snow. It keeps water from seeping into the chimney masonry walls and causing damage. The crown does this by redirecting the water to the outside of the chimney where it can fall to the roof or ground.

But just as the crown protects the chimney, the crown also needs to be protected. Because if a crown is left unprotected, it will eventually crack and deteriorate.

Some common reasons for cracks in your chimney crown include:

Improperly constructed chimney crowns.
Shifting of the chimney structure.
Concrete shrinkage as the water content in the concrete dries out when the crown was initially installed.
Freeze-thaw damage from water that’s absorbed into your chimney crown. As the water freezes and thaws – a process called expansion and contraction – the crown can crack and deteriorate.

Most chimney crowns have small cracks which need to be fixed, because they allow water to seep in. Then, during winter, as the water freezes and thaws, the cracks can become larger. Once bigger cracks appear, water can enter through these cracks into the masonry below, causing more extensive damage.

If your chimney is poorly constructed or has become cracked – allowing water to seep in or posing a fire hazard – contact the chimney professionals at T.J.’s Chimney Service. We will inspect your crown and chimney for damage – and we can build you a proper concrete chimney crown that we guarantee will not crack. Call us today at 317-455-5310 to schedule your appointment.

Chimney Caps Help Prevent Chimney & Yard Fires

by TJ Robinson Leave a Comment

Autumn is a beautiful time of year when the leaves change colors to brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. But those leaves eventually fall off the trees, piling up on roofs, yards and anywhere else they land.

Autumn also is the time of year when people start using their fireplaces for warmth and maintaining the right seasonal ambience. But if your chimney doesn’t have a cap, you potentially could develop a fire within your flue or in your yard if a spark catches dried leaves on fire. For example:

Leaves, twigs and trash floating in the air can go down an uncapped flue. This debris can build up in your chimney, causing a chimney fire if a spark flies up the flue and ignites the debris. Also leaves and debris can build up behind your fireplace damper, making it difficult to open. The metal mesh on the chimney cap will stop falling leaves and other debris from getting into your flue and clogging it.

Large sparks and burning ashes from fires in your fireplace can travel up the flue and out the chimney if it’s uncapped. These sparks or ashes can land on dry, fallen leaves, igniting them and causing a roof or yard fire. The wire mesh around the chimney cap, also called a spark arrestor or spark deflector, helps to keep these sparks contained within the cap until the flame dies out.

This is why it’s important to have chimney caps installed on all your home’s flues – furnaces, water heaters, boilers and especially fireplaces.

A chimney cap is a rectangular or round structure that features side screens and a flat or peaked metal roof on top of it. The cap mounts directly over the chimney or flue. Caps can be made of steel, stainless steel, copper or aluminum. However, stainless steel is preferable since it can withstand constant exposure to wind, rain, snow, smoke and other conditions. Also stainless steel doesn’t readily rust like other materials, so homeowners don’t have to worry about stains on their chimney and roof.

At T.J.’s Chimney Service, we specialize in chimney cap installation, and our high-quality stainless steel caps come with a lifetime warranty. A chimney cap can save you potentially thousands of dollars in fire damages. Let us give you peace of mind by installing a chimney cap on your home’s uncapped flue. Contact us today!

Chimney Caps Keep Out Birds and Animals

by TJ Robinson Leave a Comment

Have you heard flapping or scratching sounds coming from your chimney? You may have a bird or animal trapped inside your chimney. Birds, bats, raccoons, squirrels, cats, snakes, barn owls, ducks and geese have all been known to fly, crawl, slither or fall down an open flue. And dealing with these birds and animals can be stressful, not only for you, but for the bird or animal as well.

Trapped birds and animals can result in various problems for a homeowner:

Noise.
Bird mite, bed bug and/or meal worm infestations.
Exposure to a possible rabid, ferocious animal.
Possible contact to raccoon feces which can contain the eggs of a roundworm parasite, bayliscaris procyonis. Exposure to this parasite can be deadly to people.
Damage due to live birds and animal getting into your home.
Horrific smell caused by dead birds or animals.
Fly infestation because of dead birds or animals.
Nesting materials can cause a fire hazard.
A blocked flue due to nests, debris and dead birds or animals can lead to a fatal carbon monoxide buildup when the furnace is turned back on.

If you discover birds nesting in your chimney, don’t disturb them. Some birds, like chimney swifts, are protected by law. Once they have left the nest, our professional chimney sweeps at T. J.’s Chimney Service can remove the nest.

If you find a live wild animal in your flue, don’t try to get the animal out yourself. You risk injury and possible exposure to rabies if you get bit. Contact a licensed animal removal specialist to remove it.

To prevent animals and birds from getting into your chimney flue, a heavy-duty, stainless steel chimney cap with a protective screen can help keep these critters out. But a chimney cap installation is best done by professionals, like T. J.’s Chimney Service, located in Greenfield, IN. Our knowledgeable chimney specialists can select the right-sized cap for your chimney and install it for you, saving you the time and hassle of finding the right-sized cap, having the proper tools, climbing up and down ladders to the roof of your home, and having the know-how to correctly perform the job. Plus our high-quality chimney caps carry a lifetime warranty and require little maintenance. Contact T. J.’s Chimney Service today at 317-455-5310 to schedule your chimney cap installation.

Top 5 Causes of Chimney Leaks

by TJ Robinson Leave a Comment

lightning-199651_640 With the rainy spring weather we’ve been having, have you heard or seen water dripping down your fireplace? Or, maybe you’ve seen a water spot on the ceiling or wall by your fireplace? These are warning signs of a possible chimney leak that can cause serious damage to your home.

The top five reasons for a chimney leak are:

No Chimney Cover
Your chimney doesn’t have a cover to keep the rain out. Instead it just falls straight down your flue. Water contact can cause chimney materials, like brick, concrete, tile and metal, to deteriorate, leading to exterior and interior leaks.
Chimney Crown Cracks
The chimney crown is the top cement/concrete surface on a masonry chimney. Cracks can occur in the crown due to structural shifts in the chimney and from cement or concrete shrinkage when it was originally installed. Once a crack occurs, the repeated freezing and thawing of water in the crack can cause it to expand, allowing water to seep inside the home.
Water condensation
Fumes from a gas fireplace have moisture in them, which can cause condensation to form inside the flue that soaks into the bricks, keeping them moist. Additionally, during the summer, condensation can form inside your flue when cool air-conditioned air combines with the warm air outside.
Chimney Flashing Problems
During construction, chimney flashing (typically made of an aluminum material) and waterproof tar seal the space between the chimney’s structure and the roof. Over time, leaks can occur when the flashing or tar wears away.
Mortar and Brick Cracks
Mortar and bricks can absorb water, as well as develop cracks due to freezing and thawing, which can lead to leaks. Also, if your chimney is located on a shady side of the house, the bricks and mortar can stay wet, never drying out. Eventually, soggy bricks can cause water to seep into your home.

A leaking chimney can cause thousands of dollars of water damage to your home, including saturated insulation, warped walls, mold growth and possible destruction of electronics equipment located above your fireplace. Therefore, if you think your chimney is leaking, contact TJ’s Chimney Service, located in Greenfield, IN, at 317-462-4759. Our professionals can inspect your chimney and make any necessary repairs, as well as waterproof your chimney to guard
against future problems. Call us today!

Water Damage and Chimney Repairs

by TJ Robinson Leave a Comment

With the sort of weather we have been having it might be time to have your chimney inspected for water damage inside and outside of your chimney. If a cap has been removed there could be moisture buildup inside your fireplace. Debris from leaves and animals may also start to negatively affect your fireplace. Spring is just around the corner and now is a great time to have your chimney and fireplace cleaned and inspected by a professional. A professional will be able to assess what your needs may be to repair any damage and get your fireplace ready before the next fall and winter season hit again. We offer a variety of services that will ensure that your fireplace is working properly and will keep your family safe. A proper cleaning is always the best route to go to begin. It is imperative that you have any debris or creosote buildup removed. Creosote is highly flammable and must be removed to prevent any fires from igniting in your fireplace. Next you’ll want to have a professional come out and waterproof and make any necessary repairs. This would include repairing leaky flashing to tuck-pointing and masonry repair to relining the flue and chimney. During an inspection if there is water damage this can also be fixed. This situation can easily be remedied by reconstructing the back walls of the fireplace and returning them to their original pristine condition. We at TJ’s Chimney Service, offer a whole range of services that will help repair your fireplace to its original condition. Some of our repair services include, waterproofing/repair and restoration, rebuilding fireplaces, rebuilding crowns, install chimney caps, and replace chase tops. Whatever your repair needs may be we are always happy to help! If you are unsure of what repairs you may need done we would be happy to talk with you! Give us a call 317-462-4759.

What is a chimney?

by TJ Robinson Leave a Comment

What is a fireplace? Most people would answer the question by pointing to their fireplace and saying, “Well, that’s it right there.” But that’s the simple response. In truth, your fireplace consists of several pieces working together.

First you have the doors, which are usually glass but can also be metal. The doors close off the fireplace when it’s not in use. Their other function is to prohibit air flow when the fire is done.
Next is the hearth, usually made of bricks or some other fireproof material.
The walls around the hearth are protected by the surround.
Inside the hearth is the firebox, which is where you light the fire.
The smoke created by the fire travels up through the flue.
The flue is protected by the chimney. The chimney is what keeps the heat generated by the fire from causing damage to your home.
The flue and chimney are connected by the smoke chamber. A vital piece of the smoke chamber is the smoke shelf, which stops soot and other junk from coming back down into your fireplace.
Underneath the smoke shelf is the damper. The damper is what keeps cold air from travelling down your chimney and into your home.
Your roof is protected from harmful materials generated from a fire by the spark arrester.
A chimney cap halts rodents and birds from setting up shop in your flue. The cap can also help prevent moisture or protect from excessive wind.

There you have it – not so simple, after all. And all those pieces take time to clean. Is your fireplace ready for the upcoming winter? If not, give us a call today!

Who’s Capping Your Masonry Chimney?

by TJ Robinson Leave a Comment

Chimney caps are an important component in the maintenance of your fireplace and chimney. But with a masonry chimney, you need to weigh thebad with the good. Below are some reasons chimney caps are a necessity:

A chimney cap keeps rain and subsequent moisture from building within your chimney.
A chimney cap keeps critters, especially birds, from establishing a home in your chimney.
A chimney cap improves the air draft of the chimney.
In the winter, a chimney cap helps keeps ice and snow from building up on the crown of the chimney, which will extend the life of the crown and minimize the chance of cracks.

Sounds like a no-brainer, so far, right? Not so fast. You must also consider the following potential down-sides of a chimney cap:

Bad draft. A poorly designed or improperly installed chimney cap can hamper air flow.
Permanence. Chimney caps can blow off if you live in areas with high wind.
Creosote build-up. Chimney caps can get clogged up, which will affect the performance of your fireplace.
They can be ugly. If your chimney is a prominent feature of your home, creosote, tar, and other discolorations are worth noting.

The lesson here is that you feel comfortable with the company you choose to install, maintain, or replace your chimney cap. A poor job or lack of care can have detrimental long-term effects. But when installed and serviced properly, the chimney cap is one of your best allies in fireplace maintenance.