Hazardous Weather’s Impact on Your Chimney

Chimneys are incredibly durable structures that often last for decades. But that doesn’t mean they’re immune to the extreme weather we experience every year — from bitter cold in the winter, to threatening storms in the spring.

Below are several examples of the extreme weather we encounter and their impact on your chimney:

• Strong winds — It would take a mighty strong gust of wind to topple a chimney, but strong winds can cause more damage to a chimney that’s already in poor condition. Strong winds can accelerate the crumbling of brick and mortar if already cracked and fragile.
• Excessive Rain — An uncapped chimney is one of the easiest ways for water to enter your home. Not only can heavy rain impact your fireplace below, but the water can seep through the interior of your chimney and into your home, rotting wood and contributing to mold.
• Freezing Temperatures — The freeze-thaw cycle that we experience every late fall and early spring can severely damage your chimney. Water is often absorbed by the pores in the mortar and expands as it freezes, separating and loosening bricks. Repeating the freeze-thaw cycle year after year can cause water to enter your home, and contribute to the crumbling of your chimney.
• Lightning — Because chimneys rise above the rest of your home, they can bear the brunt of lightning strikes. Lightning can cause bricks or stone to explode off your chimney and contribute to weakening the structure. Furthermore, your chimney can act as a conduit for lightning, allowing it to travel into your home and potentially starting a fire.

While there is no way to prevent the erratic weather we experience every year, inspecting and repairing your chimney when needed will help it withstand strong winds, torrential downpours, storms, freezing temperatures and more.

At MCP Chimney and Masonry, we have the knowledge and experience to clean and inspect your chimney, and make any necessary repairs to help ward off the impact of extreme weather. For more information about how weather affects your chimney, contact us today.