A chimney is usually considered to be the entire structure that funnels smoke from your fireplace out of your house. The chimney can rightly be divided into two different elements: the flue and the chimney. The flue is the actual channel through which smoke rises and escapes the house. The chimney is typically considered the exterior portion that rises out of the house. If you need chimney repair contractors, they can work with both sets of issues. Repairing the flue involves cleaning and lining the channel; repairing the chimney usually involves brickwork.
Flue Repairs
The flue needs to be clean so that it can effectively funnel air out of the house and into the atmosphere. The best way to do that is with a flue that does not have deposits from past fires stuck to it. Older flues were often made of clay and over time, that clay can crack. The heat and the changing temperatures of the chimney can cause the clay flue to create fissures that open up when they are heated. That opening allows smoke to seep from the flue and into the chimney walls. Installing stainless steel sleeves is one of the most common jobs of chimney repair contractors in Severna Park, MD.
You need to make sure you have flue sleeves installed because the smoke coming from your chimney is acidic. That acidic smoke will attack the masonry and degrade it over time. Severna Park chimney repair contractors can install a sleeve as well as other protective measures.
Chimney Repairs
Chimney repairs tend to revolve around the actual physical structure of the chimney. You might need the chimney repair contractors to fix the masonry on the walls or outside of the chimney. Furthermore, they might install a rain guard or an animal guard. These are guards that go over the entrance to your chimney to prevent the rain and animals from getting into your house.