Drawbacks of Chimneys

A drawback of brick chimneys is that they are prone to crumble during earthquakes.

On of the main drawbacks of a chimney is the deposit of creosote on the chimney wall when wood is used as fuel. Some woods create more creosote than others, with the largest deposits occurring with soft woods such as pine. These flammable deposits can build up to the point where they not only block airflow, but can ignite and cause a fire in the chimney. To prevent these problems it is recommended that you clean your chimney each year. Some countries even mandate by law that this be done. Chimney sweeps are the professionals who can complete this task for you.

A drawback of brick chimneys is that they are prone to crumble during earthquakes. In earthquake prone cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, government regulations now recommend that new chimneys being built are constructed out of a metal flue surrounded by stud framing. Unfortunately, bracing old brick chimneys has not proven effective in preventing earthquake damage. To maintain the old chimney look there are now many companies offering "faux-brick" that can be placed over modern chimney structures.

Bricks can also be damaged through a process called "spalling". This occurs when water freezes inside the brick, which results in loose mortar seals and a cracked and flaking brick.

Resources - Roofing - Home improvement

©  , Black Chimney Caps.com
All rights reserved.