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All Seasons Chimney Truck

1083 Little Britain Rd
New Windsor, NY 12553

CALL US NOW 845-567-1217

Company Blog

All About Chimney Crowns

From our years in experience of working in the chimney industry, All Seasons Chimney understands the problems that water can cause to a fireplace and chimney system. In fact, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) named water as the biggest enemy of a masonry chimney. Except for stone, all masonry chimney construction materials suffer from accelerated deterioration when exposed to water for an extended period of time. Preventing water penetration of chimneys is one of our most important duties as chimney experts, and we know how to best keep the water out of your chimney. One of the most simple ways to stop water from entering your chimney in the first place is the installation of a chimney crown. We would like to tell you more about chimney crowns and how they can protect the masonry materials of your chimney.

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What exactly is a chimney crown?

Also known as a chimney wash, a chimney crown is the top part of a masonry chimney. Constructed from mortar, the chimney crown covers and seals the top of a chimney from the flue liner to the chimney edge.

Why do I need a chimney crown installed on the top of my chimney?

Without a chimney crown, your chimney is open to rainwater and water from melted snow. This water will penetrate the bricks and mortar of your chimney. In the winter, this water repeatedly freezes and thaws, and this process causes problems. When water freezes, it expands as much as 10 percent. This can create cracks in the bricks and mortar, which worsen each time this water freezes. Even tiny amounts of water can cause this type of spalling damage. Eventually, if left unrepaired, the bricks and mortar can become so deteriorated that your chimney is no longer structurally sound.

If a chimney crown is made from mortar, how is it protected from spalling damage?

Since the chimney crown sits on the top of your chimney exposed to all of the elements of weather, it should be sealed with a durable waterproofing treatment to protect it from water penetration. A customized chimney crown from All Seasons Chimney is also constructed from a Portland cement-based mixture that is designed for years of weather abuse.

How can I tell if my chimney crown is properly constructed and installed?

A properly built chimney crown should have a slope to best protect your chimney from water damage. Your chimney crown should provide a downward slope to direct water from the flue to the edge of the crown. There should also be an overhanging drip edge to direct water from the crown away from the chimney to help prevent any erosion of the bricks and mortar in the vertical surfaces of the chimney. This overhang should project beyond all sides of the chimney by a minimum of two inches for best protection from water damage.

In need of a chimney crown? Contact All Seasons Chimney to schedule a custom installation of a crown for your chimney.

Carbon Monoxide and Its Dangers

When you are enjoying the fire from your fireplace, stove, or insert, you most likely give little thought to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. However, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) states that every year over 200 people in the United States die from carbon monoxide poisoning due to the toxic gas entering their homes due to venting problems or leaks in their heating or chimney system. Furthermore, 10,000 cases of illnesses due to carbon monoxide poisoning are reported every year. Luckily, proper maintenance of your chimney, including an annual chimney sweep and inspection from a company like All Seasons Chimney with CSIA-certified chimney sweeps, can prevent any possible carbon monoxide poisoning incidents from happening to you and your family in your home.

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What exactly does carbon monoxide do to your body?

Too much carbon monoxide in your bloodstream will kill you, and low levels of exposure to carbon monoxide over a period of time can cause many health problems. The danger lies in the fact that when carbon monoxide is present in the air, the protein hemoglobin in your blood would rather latch on to it and ignore life-giving oxygen. When this happens, your body will replace oxygen with carbon monoxide, and this causes greater or lesser levels of your cells suffocating, depending on the duration and intensity of the exposure to carbon monoxide. Low-level exposure to carbon dioxide includes some very serious side effects like permanent organ and brain damage. People with compromised immune systems, such as the elderly, infants, and people with breathing issues, are in more danger to carbon monoxide exposure. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the common cold and flu, so it can be a long and frustrating process to diagnose the true problem. If you continue to suffer from headaches, fatigue, or even depression, ask your doctor to check your blood levels of carbon monoxide.

How does carbon monoxide form in my chimney?

As a by-product of combustion, carbon monoxide can be found in both gas and wood-burning fireplaces, stoves, and furnaces. When the combustion process is incomplete, more carbon dioxide is formed. Restricted air flow caused by closed fireplace doors, an unopened damper, or a flue blockage results in incomplete combustion as not enough oxygen is able to get in to completely burn the fuel.

How does carbon monoxide leak into my house from my chimney?

Several factors can result in this toxic gas leaking into your home. A damaged or deteriorated flue liner allows carbon monoxide to seep through its cracks into your living space. All Seasons Chimney can easily take care of this problem by restoring a damaged flue liner or even by replacing your old liner with a new stainless steel liner. Other causes of carbon monoxide entering your home include debris clogs, soot and creosote build-up, and animal or birds nests obstructing the chimney flue.

How can I prevent carbon monoxide from entering my house?

The best prevention against carbon monoxide leaks is an annual chimney sweeping and inspection from a CSIA-certified chimney sweep. All Seasons Chimney will ensure your venting system and flue liner are in good shape, and if not, we provide chimney repair services to fine-tune your chimney so that it works efficiently and safely. We also recommend you install carbon monoxide detector alarms throughout your home in case you do experience a carbon monoxide leak. These alarms can save your life!

If you have any more questions about the dangers of carbon monoxide, contact All Seasons Chimney. Our staff will be happy to answer them as well as schedule a chimney sweeping and inspection to ensure your home is free from this dangerous toxic gas.