There are fairytales that describe cottages with tilting chimneys as cozy and quiet. In reality, while the cottage may seem cozy it won’t be for long. A tilting chimney isn’t something quaint. It is a problem that needs to be resolved before it leads to even bigger, and more dangerous, issues.
Your home is comfortable and you want to keep it that way. This is why, if you start to notice that your chimney has started to lean a little bit, we’d strongly encourage you to reach out for professional service. That tilt will only worsen and will have increasingly negative impacts on your home.
Here’s what you need to know about the causes of this issue and why it requires prompt chimney repair in St. Paul, MN.
The Causes of a Tilting Chimney
So what is it that causes your chimney to tilt? Aside from extreme aging, you may have a chimney that is having trouble with…
- Issues with the chimney’s brickwork. The bricks of your chimney may have started to deteriorate. As they break down and come loose, the chimney will become unstable on more than one side and will lean as a result. Be on the lookout for any fallen bricks around your chimney, as even one brick can indicate the start of this problem.
- Improper water drainage. You may also not have proper water drainage around your chimney. This can end up changing the soil that your chimney sits on, can compromise the bricks, and can create other issues inside your home too.
- Changes in the foundation of the chimney. Flooding, windstorms, and other issues that impact the way the ground your home sits on will, unsurprisingly, impact your chimney’s foundation. Make sure to have a professional inspect your home if you’ve encountered any events that may have impacted your home’s foundation.
Why a Tilting Chimney Requires Prompt Repairs
Maybe you are thinking that having a chimney that is slightly tilted is no big deal. However, as we mentioned above, a tilting chimney is more than just an aesthetic difference. It is problematic and dangerous.
Tilting chimneys run the risk of causing damage to your home due to dropped bricks that may hit your house or, worse, someone living at the house! In addition to this, when your chimney leans, it will impact the airflow in and out of your chimney flue, making it hard for smoke to escape the house and increasing the likelihood that you may be exposed to those unwanted fumes. That is, if you are able to start a fire at all!
As we said, tilting chimneys are a serious problem, not some quaint detail from a fairytale. It is best to take them seriously. That is why we want you to know why they are bad news so you know to reach out for repairs ASAP.
If you are having trouble with your chimney, whether there are spalling bricks, a tilt to the chimney, or a dirty chimney flue, you can count on our team to get things fixed.
Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. today to get your chimney back in shape.