Chimney Stains - Solutions for an Ugly Problem

Have you looked at your masonry chimney lately? If so you have probably noticed some discoloration throughout the chimney brick or stone, particularly in the upper portion of the structure. This is a sure sign of excessive water infiltration into the chimney shell and if not taken care of can lead to costly damage with premature deterioration.

Excessive water in a chimney shell can manifest in three ways: efflorescence, mold growth and spalling. One or two of these symptoms could be visible on your chimney or all three depending on the severity of the problem. Let's take a look at each of these symptoms and the recommended solutions, so that you can protect your chimney from un-wanted damage.

Efflorescence - Efflorescence is a white power that is visible on the surface of the brick or stone (masonry) of your chimney shell. Water that is inside of a chimney will dissolve soluble salts in the brick and mortars. As the water migrates to the outside surface of the chimney by wicking action it carries these soluble salts with it and then deposits them on the surface of the masonry during evaporation.

Solution: As with any water problem you must stop the water from entering at the source. Most water entering a chimney comes in through the top of the chimney or the chimney crown. Cracks allow water in during each rain so all cracks must be filled and sealed to prevent them from leaking. The crown should be inspected annually and necessary repairs done to keep it from leaking. You may remove the efflorescence with a stiff brush while applying a neutralizer made of 1 cup of household bleach mixed with five gallons of cold water. Several applications may be necessary.

Mold - Mold can be but not usually, seen directly. It manifest by a slight darkening the masonry on the chimney shell. Since most of the water entering a chimney comes in through the top, most of the mold will be present there and you will notice a definite difference in the masonry tonal color range from the top of the chimney to the bottom.

Solution: An application of a heavy degreaser or detergent as purchased from a pressure washing supply company will usually do the trick in removal of most surface molds. Soak the chimney with a hose before applying the detergent then let set for approx. fifteen minutes. Then use a pressure washer to remove the detergent and the mold.

Spalling - Spalling is the action of the de-lamination of the face of brick or stone masonry unit. It is caused by excessive water within the pores of the unit freezing and thawing over hundreds of cycles. The constant freezing action breaks the pores of the brick apart and causes the face to fall off.

Solution: If only a few bricks are spalled you may get by with re-surfacing the brick face or removal and replacement. If the damage is wide spread, particularly in the upper portion of the chimney then removal of the damaged portion of the chimney will be required. Again the chimney crown must be waterproof in order to prevent this damage from occurring. Remember though, once a brick has spalled it has basically lived its' useful life and will begin to act like a sponge by absorbing more water so replacement and rebuilding is the preferred long term repair method.

All three of these problems can be prevented by the installation of a quality chimney crown. Talk to your chimney professional for additional information.

Michael Olding is tradesman and consultant in the field of restorations and repairs and currently operates a restoration and repair business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is also a Master in the field of masonry construction, restorations and repairs.

In addition he is a writer and speaker as well as a marketing, training and business consultant for the contracting industry. If you interested in his services he may be contacted by visiting http://www.cincihomepro.com

Chimney Crowns - A Hat For Your Chimney?

It has been said that if you go out into the rain without your hat on your head will get wet! Pretty simple idea isn't it...but you know what? As simple as it is, it is true.

Like a hat for your head a chimney crown is a hat for your chimney. The chimney crown is designed to shed rain water from the top of the chimney which keeps it from entering the chimney shell helping to keep the chimney shell dry. Let's take a look at the different types of masonry crowns used widely today...ok?

Cement Wash - This is the most widely used crown for chimneys today. A cement grout is troweled to the top of the finished chimney masonry and sloped upwards to the chimney flue liner to assist in water run off.

There are literally millions of these crowns in existence today and they work very well initially. This crown is the easiest and cheapest to install but tend to be the first to crack and fail. Durability is usually from 1 - 5 years.

Concrete Crown - Cast in place concrete crown are used less than the cement wash crowns but still seen frequently. This crown is installed by building a form over the top of the finished masonry of the chimney and filling it with concrete. Sometimes steel can be added for further durability. It too, is slightly tapered to shed water and usually extends approximately 1" - 11/2" beyond the side of the masonry to form a drip edge.

More expensive than the cement crown wash, the cast in place concrete crown can last very long depending on the quality of the concrete, the design and installation. Durability is usually from 20 - 30 years.

Cut Stone Crown - This is the most durable crown available in the world today. A piece of local stone, generally limestone is designed, cut and set on top of the finish chimney masonry to act as a crown. All of the oldest masonry chimneys in the world today will have cut stone crowns.

The stone is cut to 11/2" - 4" thick depending on the architectural requirements. The length and width of the finished chimney are measured and an additional 3" - 4" is added to the cut stone to allow for a drip edge. Some of these stone crowns can get massive, weight several thousand pounds and may require a crane to set in place.

However when done properly these beautiful pieces can add a decorative architectural statement. As you may imagine, stone crowns are the most expensive to construct due to the knowledgeable labor needed to measure and fabricate and the necessary equipment needed to install. However they will last for hundreds of years.

The simple chimney crown can be humble or grand, depending on the whims and wishes of architects and building owners but regardless of how they look, the function of the crown remains the same. Like a hat keeps your head dry, a chimney crown keeps the masonry on your chimney dry and should not be neglected.

Michael Olding is tradesman and consultant in the field of restorations and repairs and currently operates a restoration and repair business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is also a Master in the field of masonry construction, restorations and repairs.

In addition he is a writer and speaker as well as a marketing, training and business consultant for the contracting industry. If you interested in his services he may be contacted by visiting http://www.cincihomepro.com

What Is This Chimney Starter Thing? And Do I Have To Use One?

First Question: It's a big can without a bottom.

Second Question: NO.

OK... you might want a little more information than that, right?

A chimney starter is a metal cylinder, roughly 8" by 12" tall, with a suspended wire mesh bottom. It's purpose is to start a charcoal fire for a grill. It also has holes or slots cut into the sides, toward the bottom, to help with air flow. It's hollow and has a handle on it for safe handling. The wire mesh or grate bottom will hold the charcoal briquettes in place inside the chimney, allowing for airflow underneath.

If you have not heard of a chimney starter, or never used one, you probably just stack charcoal briquettes in a pile on your grill, douse them with a little lighter fluid, and light them. I too have had very good luck with fires for many years without using a chimney, by doing just that.

But because heat rises, using a chimney starter will get all the briquettes burning evenly (better than just an old pile). Since it is set up for good air flow, the fire is ready fairly quickly, too. But the big advantage I see in using a chimney is that you don't have to use lighter fluid anymore (unless you still want to).

When using a chimney starter, simply crumple up some newspaper and put it into the bottom of the chimney under the grate. Leave a little opening in the middle so the air can flow upward. Then place it right-side-up on the grate of your grill and fill it with charcoal.

Carefully light the paper and let it burn for 10 to 20 minutes. When white ash starts to form on the top briquettes, empty it onto the grate and your fire is ready to go.

Be careful doing this, and wear some heavy gloves. The charcoal is very hot at this point. It is easy to get burned, even when wearing gloves. Try not to get any part of your body directly over the briquettes while they are being poured onto the grate.

If that turns out to not be enough charcoal to do the job, leave 2 or 3 burning briquettes in the bottom of the chimney and fill it up again. You will shortly have another chimney of fuel, hot and ready.

Use a chimney... don't use a chimney?

If you've gone this long without using one, you already know that you don't have to use a chimney, unless you want to. It is just a tool that's meant to make starting a fire easier. It's like choosing between a match or a lighter. Use whichever one you want. And so far, I haven't seen any Chimney Police out there.

Jeff Slankard is the owner of original-bbq-recipes. It is the place to find out how you can be the creator of your own delicious BBQ recipes.
http://www.original-bbq-recipes.com/

Age-Old Chimney Bluffs

Nature is an awesome force. It?s constantly reshaping our world. Sometimes on an immediate basis, like the action of December 2004?s tsunami, but more often the changes are more gradual, like the erosive forces of wind and rain. There?s a special place in Wayne County that I?d been to before to see the effects of these slow changes. I was drawn to Chimney Bluffs again recently to witness the progress firsthand, to see the natural sculptures and connect with the passage of time. I could see the effects of aging on me ? were the bluffs experiencing it too?

The first change I noted was that Chimney Bluffs State Park has been upgraded. There?s now a paved parking area and a rest room building. And, the trail leading north from the parking area is paved. I followed it northward, into the cool, fishy smelling wind coming off Lake Ontario. In a few minutes I was on the bank, looking down at the stony shoreline and across the wide expanse of dark blue water framed by a lighter blue sky.

I climbed down the steep bank to the water?s edge, kicking the small water-rounded rocks with my boots. These cobblestones are a product of the glacier and the ravages of nature, just like the bluffs I plan to visit. Between 11,000 and 21,000 years ago, the place where I?m standing was buried under a series of successive glaciers. The glaciers brought the rocks with them from the far north. As the ice melted, it first formed the gigantic Lake Iroquois, then the smaller Lake Ontario. Wave action rounded the stones that the glaciers dumped, to create the beautiful multi-colored cobbles. Early settlers in this area gathered these cobblestones and used them to build their houses.

But, I digress. I?m here to see the aging bluffs, so I climb back up and follow the grassy trail parallel to the lake, heading east. The trail begins to climb and my breathing becomes labored. I?m climbing a glacial drumlin - a long, narrow, rounded hill of sediment (sand, clay, silt, gravel, cobbles and boulders), formed when the glaciers passed by. This drumlin is a part of one of the most extensive drumlin fields in the world, containing over 10,000 drumlins. These ridges sit north-south across this region and resemble an old-fashioned washboard.

The trail turns to dirt and I continue to climb. Then I see it ? just ahead, through the trees. A sharp precipice forms to my left. It?s the first of the 150-feet-high sculpted spires that form Chimney Bluffs. This particular drumlin has a high clay content that acts like cement, binding gravel and cobblestones together. Still, the cliff face continues to erode, as much as 5 feet per year in places, making the cliff edge trail dramatic but dangerous. In places, where erosion has been particularly strong, the trail is on the very edge of the precipice. This is no place for small children or people with a fear of heights. But for the rest of us, it?s a natural garden of modern art.

Repeatedly I stop along the trail to gaze out over the sculpted cliffs to the lake beyond. Sea gulls dart and glide over the water making their cackling calls. A rumble echoes off the cliffs as a motorboat passes by on the lake far below. I scrutinize the shallows along shore, searching for large fish. Then gaze back up at the bluffs. Some form long ridges, others are short pointed spires. The edges are all sharp, honed by wind and rain.

Yes, the bluffs have changed over time, just as I have. Even though it has been thousands of years since the ice melted off the land, the land continues to rebound rising at a rate of about a foot each century. Then the wind and rain action take over, reshaping the cliff edges. It would be interesting to do a photographic time study of this area. It has certainly changed but my mind can?t recall an exact picture of how it used to be, for comparison. All I can do is marvel at the current beauty before me.

I continue gingerly along the trail, clinging to the edge, savoring each new view as it unfolds ahead of me. Sated with the beauty, I turn right to follow a loop trail back through the woods, downhill to the parking lot. Such a difference! Along the bluffs there were sharp contrasts in colors with the golden banks framed by a bright blue sky. Here in the woods I find softer browns and greens. Together, they create a wonderful palette of natural colors. Time changes all things, but even changed, their beauty continues.

Sue Freeman is the author of 14 guidebooks, including ?Cobblestone Quest? with driving tours to see local cobblestone buildings and ?Take A Hike ? Family Walks in New York?s Finger Lakes Region? with a map of the Chimney Bluffs trails, plus 67 other trails. All 14 of her recreation guidebooks can all be viewed at http://www.footprintpress.com

Have Your Chimney Inspected By An Certified Chimney Sweep Before Buying

Over the years that I have been a Chimney Sweep, I have seen a lot of problems with new homeowners that have had their chimney and fireplace checked by a Home Inspector, only to find out that the chimney should not or could not be used; most are very disappointed, and some are downright mad. Some buyers bought the house with the fireplace being the main "focal point". Do not get me wrong, I am not bashing the Home Inspectors but, most are not trained to see the problems that a Certified Chimney Sweep can see. CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) Chimney Sweeps, have to pass a Certification test (given every three years) that covers three National Code books:

The CSIA Test covers NFPA-211 (National Fire Protection Association), the Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances. NFPA-31, covers the Standard for the Installation of Oil-Burning Equipment. NFPA-54, covers the National Fuel Gas Code. It is a closed book test that is given by a representative of the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

There is not a law that requires a Chimney Sweep to be Certified but, it goes a long way with Insurance Companies when you find a problem with a Chimney or have to repair a chimney. A Certified Chimney Sweep knows what to look for inside and outside of your home. That being said, all problems can not be seen without doing demolition or creating access areas to view the chimney.

Some Chimney Sweep companies have Chim-scans that enable a camera to run through the inside of the chimney allowing the customer full view. The monitor is set up on the hearth of the fireplace and the camera can be raised or lowered, so the customer and the sweep can see the problem areas. Most Chim-Scans have the capability to be recorded and/or have snap shots made of the areas in question. Do expect to be charged extra for the chimney scanning; but, it is a worthwhile investment to show problems found to the insurance company or the previous homeowner, so further action can be taken.

Have your chimney cleaned and evaluated annually and always have your chimney evaluated before you close on the home so you neither have to pay for something you have bought but cannot use nor must pay out of your pocket later when you decide to sell...and, as the seller, before the new homeowner has the chimney inspected himself and finds your problem. Remember: a chimney is a very large selling point for the simple reason of the heating advantages that it extends to the buyer.

Joe Honea is a Chimney Sweep who lives in South Carolina. He is married to an Italian girl and they have three sons; two are in the military, and one works in automotive collision repair. They have two protective German Shepherd pups that share their home and they have also recently opened an online chimney supply store. http://www.Fireplaceandchimneysupplies.com my blog is http://www.garagedoordr.blogspot.com