Chimney Services » Waterproofing
Our Company Blog
by Mike O'Mara | Apr 12, 2019 | Waterproofing
Looking to invest in services that will guarantee more protection for your entire chimney system? Crown repair and protection can work wonders when it comes to keeping your flue and masonry in better condition all year long. Invest in the care you deserve today. The team here at Weststar Chimney Sweeps is eager to help every step of the way.
What Is The Crown?
So, what is the chimney crown? The chimney crown sits at the top of the chimney, and its slanted design helps to keep water from running down the sides of your brickwork. Essentially, the water moves out and away, ensuring less exposure altogether. Masonry is very absorbent, so avoiding water at all costs is vital, especially now when spring rains are prominent.
When chimney crowns are not built from the right materials and the appropriate standards are ignored, your chimney will not stay as protected, and the crown itself will start to crack and crumble. As you can imagine, this can wind up causing a lot of damage to your chimney over time. Because of this, it is important to invest in professional help to ensure you get the best and longest-lasting results possible.
About CrownCoat
Fortunately, when the damages are not as extensive, we can address them quite swiftly and efficiently. For those small repair jobs, we use a product call CrownCoat. This is a sealant that fills cracks, repels water, and works hard to protect your chimney crown from the elements. Once it is applied, you will be all set and good to go in no time. You deserve peace of mind, and CrownCoat offers you just that.
Is The Damage Worse Than Expected?
If the damage you are experiencing is worse than you suspected, or if we discover that your crown was made from a weak mortar mixture, then a rebuild will be the way to go. Our CSIA certified crew is experienced and educated, so you can rest easier when we are the job. Come fall, your fireplace will be all set and ready for regular use.
Do You Need Waterproofing, Too?
ChimneySaver products are known for their high-quality waterproofing abilities. If you are looking to have your chimney masonry and crown waterproofed, then our team can get it done for you in no time. When it comes to preventing decay, rot, rust, deterioration, and more, waterproofing is essential.
Our products are strong, yet vapor permeable, guaranteeing better protection with every passing year. We can also set you up with the tools you need to prevent leaks and keep water out of your system for good. Give us a call today to set something up.
by Mike O'Mara | May 22, 2017 | Waterproofing
Fireplaces make a great addition to any living space. They add a warm and welcoming aesthetic that enhances the overall feel of the room, and I think everyone agrees that cozying up to a warm hearth after a long day is more than ideal!
Your fireplace works hard to keep your home warm and bring your family together, which is why it’s important to take care of it. Scheduling regular maintenance and inspections, as well as keeping it protected, will benefit you a lot in the long run and will ensure your chimney is not left vulnerable to animals and bad weather. One practice we highly recommend is waterproofing. Learn more below!
Damage & Your Chimney
When it comes to protecting your chimney from water damage, you don’t want to skimp. Water takes its toll on masonry and, once it is absorbed into your brickwork, you could wind up facing lots of issues. Bricks are strong, but incredibly porous and many homeowners don’t realize how easily water is sucked in! That’s why protecting your chimney’s exterior is so vital for running a long-lasting appliance.
Some issues you may notice are rotting, stains, clogs, decay, and deterioration. You may also see cracks or holes forming throughout the chimney, as well as your mortar breaking down and crumbling. All of these things lead to even more issues when not quickly resolved, and they make your fireplace unsuitable and unsafe for regular use.
If your chimney is exposed to enough wear and tear it may eventually settle or collapse, putting your entire home and family at risk. It’s not worth the stress and worry… invest in preventative measures to ensure your residence stays protected every day!
We Can Help You Out!
At WestStar Chimney Sweeps, we have all of the tools and expertise needed to ensure the job gets done right. When you put your chimney in our hands, you won’t need to worry about anything – we know our stuff!
And trust us when we say that hiring a professional is the way to go. We know that there are multiple online tutorials that ensure homeowners can save time and money by doing this job themselves. Unfortunately, many products that people wind up using don’t allow the chimney breath out vapors, thus trapping the moisture in.
We use products that protect your home, without suffocating it. By investing in our waterproofing services today, you can say goodbye to future issues with leaks, water damage, and more! It’s a small price to pay for years of protection, and we know you’ll be happy you did it.
Contact us to learn more, and we can get you in our books! We love making homes great and we can’t wait to get started on yours!
by Mike O'Mara | Dec 29, 2015 | Waterproofing
Here in the San Diego area, talk of the coming El Nino is a very hot topic. Since this weather event will bring more rain to our area, it is very important to be sure your chimney is in good condition. Even a small chimney leak can lead to major problems when heavy rains are in the forecast. At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we take chimney leaks seriously for good reasons. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) claims that water is the biggest enemy of masonry chimneys because of the amount of damage it can do. Water penetration can deteriorate your chimney so badly that it could be in danger of collapsing. This is why it is essential to ensure your chimney has no leaks before the arrival of El Nino. We would like to tell you more about the signs and causes of chimney leaks as well as a preventive service we provide to keep water from leaking into your chimney.
What are the signs of a chimney leak?
Sure signs of chimney leaks include peeling wallpaper, stains on the walls and ceilings, and dampness near your fireplace. You might even notice water standing in the bottom of your fireplace or stove. You can also see signs of chimney leaks on the exterior of your chimney. Cracked, broken, and missing bricks and pieces of mortar are the result of the damage of water penetration of your chimney. You may also notice rusting on your chimney cap and this also means water is leaking into your chimney.
What are the reasons behind chimney leaks?
Different things can cause chimney leaks. Most commonly, Weststar Chimney Sweeps finds chimney leaks that are caused by missing or damaged chimney caps. Cracked chimney crowns also lead to water penetration of a chimney. We have also found chimney leaks caused by damaged flashing systems and deteriorated bricks and mortar on the chimney structure. All of these problems can be solved by our CSIA-certified chimney technicians. We can install a new chimney cap to keep water, birds, and animals out of the chimney or repair cracks in chimney crowns. We can also repair damaged flashing and repoint bricks and mortar to replace the missing masonry materials.
How can Weststar Chimney Sweeps protect my chimney from water leaks?
We offer waterproofing services that can keep water from being absorbed into the bricks and mortar of your chimney. Using a formula that is 100% vapor permeable, we apply a layer of this formula to your entire chimney. Since this formula is vapor permeable, vapors and gases can still pass through the bricks and mortar and not become trapped within where they could cause even more damage. Waterproofing your chimney is an excellent way to prolong its life and to prevent water leaks from causing damage.
Ensure your chimney is in good condition before the arrival of El Nino. Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule a chimney inspection, especially if you have noticed the signs of water leaks.
by Mike O'Mara | Sep 17, 2015 | Waterproofing
If you have been watching the news this summer, it has been hard to miss the coverage of the upcoming El Niño weather event. Predicted to be one of the strongest in years, this El Niño has the potential to cause heavy rains and flooding in San Diego and the rest of Southern California. To be prepared for this weather event, Weststar Chimney Sweep provides waterproofing services that can keep your masonry chimney safe from the effects of heavy rains. We would like to tell you more about the coming El Niño event and how a waterproofing treatment can protect the bricks and mortar of your chimney from all of this water.
What exactly is El Niño?
The term El Niño refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a warming in sea surface temperatures across the central Equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño typically affects the weather across North America during the following winter season. These effects include warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada and over the northern and western United States. Heavy rains are also more likely due to El Niño, and NBC San Diego reports that meterologists are saying that the El Niño of 2015 will bring heavier than normal rainfalls to Southern California.
How can this heavy rainfall affect my chimney? 
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) states that water is the biggest enemy of a masonry chimney, and this is because of the extensive and costly damage it can do. Heavy rainfalls lead to water penetration of masonry materials, and when water leaks into the bricks and mortar of a chimney, it weakens the materials and can eventually cause the structure to collapse.
How can waterproofing protect my chimney from water penetration?
At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we use a formula that is 100% vapor permeable that will keep water from leaking into the bricks and mortar while still allowing vapors to exit the masonry materials and not become trapped to cause more damage. We apply this waterproofing formula to your entire chimney to prevent water penetration. Your masonry chimney will be protected from the heavy rains of El Niño after our waterproofing treatment.
Be ready for the effects of El Niño this winter. Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for a waterproofing treatment today.
