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Spalling Brickwork: Why It Happens & How to Fix It

The bricks and mortar used to build chimneys are strong and durable enough to last for years. However, they can suffer from erosion damage, which is also known as spalling. This is from the constant exposure to the elements of weather. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), water can cause extensive and expensive damage to masonry chimneys! That’s why they recommend homeowners take preventive measures to protect their chimneys from water penetration.

For over 25 years, Atlas Chimney has been providing several professional chimney maintenance services. These prevent spalling damage, as well as chimney repair services, to fix any damaged bricks and mortar on your chimney. We would like to tell you more about spalling. In addition, what we can do to repair and prevent this type of chimney masonry damage.

How does spalling occur?

Masonry materials are naturally porous. This means the bricks and mortar of your chimney naturally absorb water every time it rains, sleets, or snows. Since your chimney is constantly exposed to the elements, there could be quite a bit of moisture within the masonry materials, and this causes erosion damage. The majority of spalling damage occurs during the winter, especially during any periods of freezing conditions.

Whenever the temperature falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the moisture within the bricks and mortar freezes and expands. As the weather warms up, the force of the water thawing causes spalling to happen. Repeated freeze/thaw cycles over the winter can lead to the materials cracking, breaking apart, and even becoming loose from the chimney. These gaps and voids left behind allow more water to penetrate the chimney. This leads to more damage. If not repaired, the structure of your chimney can be in serious jeopardy and can even collapse completely!

How can Atlas Chimney help me with spalling damage?

Is your chimney is missing bricks or mortar joints? If so, our experienced chimney masonry technicians use specialized techniques like tuckpointing to repair the spalling damage. You can trust us to properly restore soundness to the structure of your chimney. By doing this, it prevents water leaks into your chimney and home. To prevent spalling from occurring, we provide professional chimney waterproofing services, which is a smart investment. A vapor permeable formula is applied to your entire chimney. It creates a barrier against water penetration and spalling for at least a decade!

Protect your chimney from extensive and expensive spalling damage. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to schedule an appointment for our professional chimney maintenance and repair services to keep your chimney safe and sound.

Why It Is Important to Insulate a Wood Stove Liner

When it comes to heating your home, being as energy efficient as possible is important. This helps lower your heating costs and makes your home as warm and comfortable as possible, during a cold winter season. Atlas Chimney wants to help our customers increase the energy efficiency in their homes. So, we offer several professional services that can help you save money and get more heat in your home! One of these services is insulating chimney liners for wood-burning stoves and other hearth heating appliances. We would like to tell you more about the importance of insulating a wood stove liner and other services that can increase the energy efficiency in your home.

What are the benefits of insulating a wood stove liner?

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), your chimney needs to draft properly to function efficiently. In order to have a good chimney draft, you need heat in the chimney. When Atlas Chimney insulates your wood stove liner, your chimney will stay hot enough for the combustion gases to rise and be exhausted out of the chimney. Insulating a wood stove liner also helps to vent cleanly. This will cut down on condensation occurring inside the chimney. A decrease in condensation will greatly cut back on the amount of creosote accumulation on the inner walls of your chimney. This is very important because creosote is so flammable that the CSIA has named it as a leading cause of chimney fires!

How else can Atlas Chimney help make my home more energy efficient?

One of our favorite ways to increase energy efficiency? Install a top-mounted damper at the top of the chimney as a replacement to the traditional throat damper. Since a top-mounted damper is equipped with a silicone rubber gasket, it provides an airtight seal of your chimney. You will not have to worry about your air conditioned cold air escaping out through the chimney. Another professional service we offer that increases energy efficiency? Cleaning your dryer vent systems. Our certified technicians make sure every bit of lint is removed from your dryer vent. This helps keep your clothes dryer working at its most efficient! Clogged dryer vents can make you have to run your dryer longer to completely dry a load of clothes. This is why you should have your vent professionally cleaned at least once a year.

Save money by making your home more energy efficient. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to find out how we can insulate your wood stove liner to keep your home warmer for less money this winter!

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