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Problems

Like other parts of a home, chimneys aren’t immune to problems or issues over the course of its lifetime. Check back here to see solutions to some of the most common chimney problems.
Gas/Oil burner shuts down
Some of today’s heating appliances have an automatic cut off switch which will shut the unit down if it cannot vent the fumes through your chimney. This could be the result of a bird nesting in your chimney, a blockage, or a collapse of the interior of your chimney. All three scenarios should be addressed immediately. We do offer emergency service.
Animal/birds in chimney
In the cold weather birds and squirrels like to stay warm near the chimney, unfortunately one or two may fall in, and not be able to get out. Also, when your chimney is not in use, birds may nest inside, and you might not notice until the next heating season. To eliminate this problem, have a stainless steel cap installed by us. This will keep all birds and squirrels out and prevent any rain from entering your chimney.
Water leaks in basement near chimney
If you have a gas burner that was recently installed and are experiencing water leaking from the base of the chimney it may be condensation due to an improperly size chimney liner, which in time will deteriorate the clay lining. If it is your fireplace that has water build up you should have a stainless steel cap installed, and check cement crown.
Loose/missing bricks
If you see pieces of cement on your roof or on the ground near the chimney, chances are it's coming from your chimney. This is a problem that when ignored can cause a very costly rebuild. Most of the time, the root of the problem is at the top of the chimney which is where the cement crown is; and possibly tuckpointing and/rebuilding the top few courses (rows) of bricks.

The cement crown serves two purposes, one is to secure the top course of bricks together. The other purpose is to wash rain off the chimney so that it doesn’t penetrate through the chimney. If you have cracks in your crown, every time it rains, it works its way through the chimney. In the winter, it freezes over and expands. A lot of times your chimney may look in good condition from the ground, but when seen up close, reveals a lot of problems.