A Storm Collar Helps Keeps Water Out of Your Chimney
Keeping water out of your chimney is one of the most important tasks you have as a homeowner. Water can do a lot of expensive damage and deterioration to your chimney, fireplace, and even the interior of your home. When water leaks into your chimney, it can cause the metal components like your damper and liner to corrode and break apart. It can create water stains on your ceilings and walls. It can rot wooden structures that surround your chimney. Not only can water deteriorate the parts of your chimney and home, but too much moisture in your chimney can also lead to mold growth. Here in the Austin, TX area, we can see quite a bit of rain each year, and Atlas Chimney has been working to prevent chimney water leaks in the Austin area for over 25 years. Our staff knows the best ways to keep water out of your chimney, and we can make sure your chimney is leak-proof. One of our preventive measures we use is a storm collar as part of a flashing system. We would like to tell you more about storm collars and how they are an important part of a good flashing system.
Courtesy of Jerry Isenhour
What is a storm collar?
If you have a prefabricated chimney, you most likely will need a storm collar, also known as a chimney collar, to prevent rain from getting into the space where the chimney pipe meets the roof. Storm collars are usually integrated into the flashing system around your chimney. Similar to a chimney cap for masonry chimneys, storm collars are different because they fit onto the chimney pipe instead of sitting on top like a chimney cap does on a masonry chimney. Unfortunately, storm collars do not last forever, and you will eventually have to replace this important part of your chimney system.
How do I know when I need to replace my storm collar?
According to the Home Guides at SF Gate, you should replace your storm collar if you see water in the attic or water stains on the ceiling in the same room as your fireplace.
What exactly is a flashing system?
To protect the vulnerable area around your chimney where it meets the roof, a flashing system is constructed of sheets of metal that are strategically layered on the roof and wrapped around the chimney. Flashing provides a watertight barrier that keeps water from entering at this point. Over the years, Atlas Chimney has seen many poorly installed and damaged flashing systems, and we not only repair these types of flashing systems, but we can also construct new customized flashing systems that will keep water from leaking into your chimney. When our customers have a prefabricated chimney that consists of a metal pipe, we always use a storm collar as an important part of the flashing system.
Keep water out of your chimney this spring and summer. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to find out if a flashing system with a storm collar is right for your chimney.