9 Signs Your Fireplace Needs Professional Repair Goulburn

 The fireplace is usually the focal point in a lot of Australian homes. It provides warmth during winter, houses a lot of romantic memories between lovers | some would even say a fireplace southern highlands reminds them of home. The gentle, crackling sound of the wood-burning just spells delight, don’t you think?

In as much as a fireplace lasts for decades without needing any repair, there are some problems most likely to develop with your chimney. If not nipped in the bud, they could become complications which would eventually lead to a fire one day. 

To avoid the risk of a fire breaking out during use, it’s best if you know when your fireplace gets cranky so you could get it back to normal in no time. To help you with this, here are twelve most common signs your fireplace is in need of some professional healing.

Your fireplace develops white staining (efflorescence)

This is a process known as efflorescence. Your fireplace developing the ‘white stain’ is as a result of crystalline deposits of salt usually observed on concrete and other natural stone surfaces. The only cause of this is excessive moisture in the chimney. 

In most cases, efflorescence could lead to rapid deterioration of your fireplace and chimney. To prevent this, you’ll need a professional fireplace Goulburn service technician to either install a new fireplace or fix the problem.

NOTE: There’s nothing you can do about a problem like this so DO NOT apply DIY fixes even if recommended by a friend. 

You notice rust

Rust is one thing that degrades your fireplace faster than any other agent. You should have your chimney inspected every year. During an inspection, make sure you:

• Check outside your chimney on the flashing and chimney cap.

• Look inside the firebox, the damper and the flue.

If you don’t see anything rust-related after inspecting the said places, then you’d be good to go? Sometimes it’ll be a yes but many a time, rust isn’t that easy to spot. It’s better to have a certified professional by your side while doing inspections like this. Just so you don’t miss any spots.

Your chimney bricks start chipping off the wall

Damaged bricks are another sign of a moisture problem. The excess moisture in the masonry expands during winter and contracts during summer causing slow deterioration of the bricks. This in turn causes them to crack and crumble off. 

To root out the problem, carry out a thorough inspection of your fireplace and find out how water keeps entering the masonry. Upon doing this, you should assess the situation to discover how bad the situation is. If the damage is a lot, then the entire brickwork will need replacement to avoid any risks.

There are puddles of water in your fireplace

Puddles forming around your fireplace could be a sign of the following:

• A chimney leak.

• Deflective flashing.

• Worn-down mortar.

• Or cracks in the crown.

Whatever the case may be, if you notice water on your fireplace Southern highlands, it’s time to call in the cavalry.

You see some fallen chimney tiles.

A fallen chimney tile is unpleasant news for any homeowner. If left unfixed, could cause the entire chimney to collapse on itself on the long run or even worse, a fire. 

Water is usually the causal agent of this problem it could also be traced to bad construction of the chimney. If noticed, call in your professional fireplace technician to fix it now so it never happens again.

A cracked chimney crown

This is one good reason why yearly inspections of your fireplace are necessary. A cracked chimney crown allows the intrusion of more moisture which increases the risk of the above problems happening to your fireplace. 

If you’d like some to get it fixed yourself, you could seal your chimney crown with a combo of silicone caulk, duct tape some sealant and a water repellant. You could as well get it done by a professional to avoid unprecedented mistakes. 

Your flue tiles start falling off

Your chimney flue is what carries poisonous gases up your chimney and safely disperses them into the environment. A flue liner is what protects the materials around the chimney from heating up to high temperatures. If your chimney’s flue tiles start cracking and falling into the fireplace, then it’s time for professional repair. Your masonry technician will know what to do to when investigating the problem. 

Under no circumstance should you try investigating this issue yourself? Remember, the residual gases residing in your chimney are poisonous and could literally kill you. Better safe than sorry.

The mortar binding your masonry gets damaged

Due to the continuous cycle of extreme temperatures, your chimney mortar is bound to degrade over time. If not properly inspected and handled in time, it could cause an untimely collapse of your entire fireplace. To prevent this, it’s always best you check the integrity of the mortar during annual checks. 

You should have any repairs or replacement done by a technician so you avoid further damage and greater expense later on.

Deteriorated flashing

Your chimney flashing is a thin sheet of lightweight metal added to your chimney to seal the connection between your chimney and the roof. The problem is, even the best flashing material isn’t immune to degradation and in due time, it’ll need replacement. 

Failure to do so in time will leave your roof to excessive water damage and you don’t want this to happen during spring. Contact a professional now so you don’t regret not doing so in the nearest future.

You should know that a fireplace in disrepair could become a structural hazard if care is not taken. To avoid the untimely collapse of your home, make sure you don’t waste any more time contacting a technician for your fireplace Goulburn. Call us so we’d get to you ASAP.