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Why Is My Chimney Pulling Away From My House?
Your chimney encounters the best and worst of weather, and as time goes on, the wear may start to show. There are several signs of wear, such as hairline fractures, crumbling, or your chimney pulling away from your home. While all should be addressed, if you’ve noticed your chimney starting to pull away from your home, it’s advisable to contact your local chimney professional as soon as possible.
How Did This Happen To My Chimney?
As you know, building materials used for chimneys — such as brick, mortar, and stones — weigh a lot of weight. What does this mean? As time goes on, it can sink and dislodge mortar. Additionally, this means there is a strong need for a solid foundation. This can be a concrete base or a chimney pad. Even if you do have a concrete footing, it can deteriorate over time.
Why will the footing fail?
- If you have an old house, natural deterioration may be the culprit. Hairline fractions allows for water to enter this freeze, expand, and thaw. Overtime, this cycle can cause wear and cause bigger cracks on the footing.
- Is your footing big enough? Unfortunately, if you have a newer chimney and are noticing issues, it may be due to the footing being too small. Specifically, the footing needs to be 1 foot thick and expand 6 inches beyond the chimney on every side.
Now that we’ve covered the main culprit of a leaning chimney, let’s look at some other subtle hints that you may need to pay attention to.
- Do you have an interior chimney? If yes, the easiest sign (detaching from your home) isn’t possible. So, it’s best to check the frame opening (likely in the attic) to see if one side is bearing more pressure than the other.
- Dislodging flashing — While this issue can cause water damage, it can also be a sign of slightly leaning or sinking chimneys.
So, my chimney is leaning, now what?
It’s best to save this type of issue to the professionals. Depending on the level of damage, there may be a quick fix, or it may require a larger repair. If you notice issues, do not hesitate to contact repair professionals to assure the issue doesn’t get worse.
Chimney Issues? Consider Calling Twin City
If you’re in the Minneapolis area, Twin City Fireplace, Masonry, and Chimney are the full-service experts to call. We have locations in Edina and Woodbury, MN with highly trained and experienced staff to help with any questions pertaining to fireplaces — especially if you’re encountering your chimney pulling away from your house. If you run into any major issues, we’re here to assist as quick as possible.
We specialize in the sale, service, and installation of gas and wood-burning fireplaces for indoor and outdoor spaces. We’re also licensed general contractors, gas fitters, and skilled masons to give you a seamless experience from the first call to the finished installation. Contact us today in Edina at 952-941-2685 or Woodbury at 651-204-0112