There are a few things to look out for when you aren’t sure if your chimney needs work. Cracks and deterioration are the more obvious signs of damage on the stack of the chimney. Bad weather can cause wear and tear and masonry to weather and crumble. If you see this happening and any cracks appearing, then you need to get a professional straight away. Cracks can have frozen water within them in the colder months, which can cause it to expand, causing more issues.
There may be interior issues that you need to keep an eye out for. For instance, leaks can appear in the form of staining on the walls and ceiling under the chimney. A leak can happen when there are bad quality flashings and damaged gutters. This can create moisture in the room which can lead to fungus and mould growing in the timber of the roof. Often this can be helped by fitting excellent quality lead flashing.
You may find if there is a problem with the chimney pot, mess and rainwater can drip down the chimney flue. If there any cracks, damp can come through causing flue issues. This can be shown from any rust that may appear. A new flue liner could help to defend against this, as well as help insulation.
You may notice your chimney is leaning slightly, which may not necessarily be a worry for old chimneys, but it could indicate issues with the mortar joints. If this is the case then you need a professional to check and confirm whether or not it needs stabilising, or taking down and being rebuilt, as it may be unsafe to keep up. For a free site visit and to check your chimney call the Roofers in Tunbridge, Mastercraft roofing.