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When you live in an older home, making updates to parts of the house is a fact of life. As building codes and safety standards change, so should the appropriate components of your home. One of these components is your chimney. The importance of your chimney being up to modern standards has a lot to do with your safety. It is essential for your chimney to function properly to protect your home from fire and extremely high temperatures and to vent the byproducts of combustion out of your house. All American Chimney Service, LLC would like to tell you a few of the things we look for when we inspect older chimneys to see what they need to be up to modern building codes.

Is the chimney lined?

One of the most common issues All American Chimney Service, LLC finds when inspecting older chimneys is that the chimney has no liner. We do not recommend using a chimney without a liner as it can be hazardous. According to theChimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), chimney liners serve three important functions. They protect the combustible parts of your house from extremely high temperatures, they protect the masonry materials of your chimney from the corrosive byproducts of combustion, and they provide a correctly sized flue to help the heating appliance work most efficiently. Not having a chimney liner is an easily solved problem. All American Chimney Service, LLC can size and install a durable stainless steel liner that comes with a lifetime guarantee and will allow you to safely enjoy your fireplace.

Is the chimney a block chimney?

This type of chimney is rarely seen in homes built after 1960 and is more susceptible to cracking, leaning, and leaking. If you have a block chimney built directly against your home, it is recommended to tear it down, especially if it is a wood-frame house. It is illegal to have this type of chimney situated against a home without being surrounded by bricks. However, if there is the opportunity to build brick around all four sides, it is possible for All American Chimney Service, LLCto salvage your block chimney by providing the proper clearances required by modern building codes.

Is the chimney suffering from spalling damage?

Have you noticed cracked or loose bricks on the exterior of your chimney? This type of damage is called spalling damage and is the result of moisture that has leaked into the bricks and mortar freezing and expanding during the winter. When this water thaws, it causes the bricks and mortar to break apart. If this type of damage is left unrepaired, it can result in severe structural problems. It can cause the height of your chimney to not be up to building codes or even cause the entire chimney to collapse. If you have noticed this type of damage, let us know at All American Chimney Service, LLC so that our expert masons can make all necessary repairs.

Take care of your older chimney.Contactus at All American Chimney Service so that we can be sure your chimney is up to modern building codes.