You can be sure to find chimneys in almost every home you visit. Chimneys are loved and used by homeowners from all walks of life. However, chimneys are some of the most neglected structures of a house. Most people never think of chimney repair, although it is vital in ensuring safety and quality life in a house.
If you don’t maintain and repair your chimney when needed, it will get too far gone and you will need a whole rebuild – either from the fireplace, or from the roof up.
In this project, Qualicum Beach Masonry and Chimney Services Ltd had to determine what was needed – a chimney rebuild, or chimney repair in Port Alberni BC. It needed to be reconstructed. We scaffolded this chimney, tore it down to the roof line, and disposed of the bricks and rubble. We then installed new 24 gauge aluminum flashing. We rebuilt the chimney from the roof up using new bricks, and installed two top sealing dampers.
Why would a chimney repair be necessary?
The risk of a fire
Damaged chimneys can aid in starting a fire that will end up destroying your entire house. It does this by allowing fire to spread from the chimney vent to other parts of the house such as the ceiling that is highly flammable.
Carbon monoxide leak
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that is known to cause death in humans within minutes. A chimney is designed to carry this gas safely outside the house and into the atmosphere. If the chimney is cracked, however, these gas could easily escape the chimney chamber into various rooms of your house.
Collapsing chimney
If the chimney is extremely weak, it could fall off resulting in injuries or even fatalities. If you notice wide cracks in the chimney, you should not think twice about calling in the experts to restore your chimney. Do not attempt to repair the chimney yourself if you are not qualified to do such kind of work.
Smoke damage inside the house
Damaged chimneys are known to release smoke inside a house whenever they are being used. The smoke is dangerous to the occupants of your house since it has been shown to cause lung cancer. Smoke can also cause short-term illnesses such as coughing and running noses. If left unattended, the damaged chimney might greatly lower the quality of life in your house.
Needless to say, fireplace repair services are necessary to procure whenever your chimney develops problems. Always weigh the option between chimney repair vs chimney rebuild. Choose the one that is most cost effective long-term. Notable advances are being made in the area of chimney repairs on Vancouver Island, and you therefore have no reason not to trust these services. Rebuilding your chimney could save you a lot of trouble, in the long run.