Facts About Chimney Cracks

Because chimneys are sturdy-looking brick structures, many homeowners are surprised to learn that the development of chimney cracks is common and, in fact, may occur for many different reasons. No matter what has caused any cracks that may be in your chimney, the help of a reliable chimney sweep is needed for repairs. Once you’ve seen that your chimney is cracked, the safe thing to do is wait until repairs are made before using the fireplace again.

Construction Errors

Experienced chimney sweeps have learned that it’s really important that masonry fireplaces and chimneys are built by someone familiar with venting systems and how they work. General masonry expertise isn’t enough to ensure proper fireplace and chimney construction. There are two fairly common types of construction errors that result in cracked chimneys, as follows:

Certain dimensions are required when building the strong footing that can adequately support the intense weight of fireplaces and chimneys. Faulty chimney footing often results in a shifting of the footing and, ultimately, cracked chimneys.
When chimney flues are installed, there must be a minimum amount of space between the liner and the outer chimney wall. Otherwise, when thermal expansion of the liner occurs, the chimney will crack.

Soil Movement

The foundation of a home and the chimney footing can shift due to soil that has inadequate load-bearing capacity. When a foundation shifts, it is common for chimney cracks to occur.

Weather Events

Chimneys are vulnerable to normal weather conditions that cause damaging wear and tear over time. Some weather events, however, cause immediate damage, often creating chimney cracks. Lightning strikes are notorious for cracking chimney masonry. Storms with high winds can cause chimneys to be struck by trees and other objects. It’s always important to check your chimney after a major storm and when you think lightning may have struck your home. Rain can pour into a masonry chimney once cracks develop. Moisture in the masonry system eventually causes the destruction of every affected brick.

Intense Freezing and Thawing Cycles

The reason moisture causes so much damage to bricks is because of the way the water expands and contracts during freezing and thawing cycles. The movement causes bricks to break down, and the chimney can develop cracks. If repairs aren’t made, the chimney will begin leaning and could eventually collapse.

Mechanical Damage

Attaching an antenna to a chimney can cause the chimney to crack. The chimney system is already vulnerable to damage caused by moisture. Creating mechanical damage by installing an antenna on the chimney is risky.

Dubuque Fireplace and Patio

The chimney sweeps at Dubuque Fireplace and Patio are trained experts with the experience and training to identify the cause of chimney cracks and provide needed repair as well as masonry rebuilds. If you are interested in adding a fireplace or heating stove to your home, we also offer sales and installation of new hearth appliances. Contact the chimney professionals at Dubuque Fireplace and Patio at (563) 582-5156 today.

You can also contact our sister store, Chimney Specialists Inc., in the Highland, WI, area, at (608) 929-4887.