When it comes to problems with water damage, there are plenty of things that immediately spring to your mind: the inevitable problems that occur along with flooding, the possibility that your roof's shingles are damaged, or a problem that has to do with your insulation or wall. Very few people tend to think of their chimney leaking, but it is a common problem and therefore an issue that you should make yourself aware. There are many reasons that your chimney might be leaking.

Water Straight Through The Chimney

Sometimes the easiest explanation for a problem is the right one – and in this case, it is also the most common explanation. Rainwater and other collected moisture that makes its home on your roof can easily seep down the hole of your chimney. However, there is an incredibly easy fix to this solution. Invest in a chimney cover. Not only will a chimney cover provide you coverage from rain and other forms of moisture that can cause water damage, chimney covers will also provide you from protection from raccoons and other pests that tend to make their way into your home via your chimney.

Cracked Crown

The crown of the chimney is the cement base that generally covers the chimney's opening. The purpose of a crown is, in fact, to help keep rain out from the innards of your chimney. However, once a crown begins to crack, it cannot adequately fulfill its purpose. That's why it is important to keep a constant vigil on this very important portion of your chimney. A cracked crown can occur due to a number of reasons. Ironically enough, one of the most common reasons is moisture building up within the chimney, causing the integral structure of the chimney itself to shift, which will cause cracking and sometimes breakage of the crown.

Flashing

Sometimes, you will have to replace your chimney flashing. Flashing basically refers to any part of a roof that needs to be put into place where the roof meets another part of the house, which includes the chimney. Usually, flashing is made up of aluminum and it essentially fills in the gaps of the roof where the roof will meet the chimney; in addition to this, there is usually some sort of sealant in place, as well. More often than not, both the aluminum flashing and sealant will need to be replaced once every decade or so. You should take stock of the length of time that you have had the flashing in place so you will know when to replace it, as damaged flashing can cause severe water damage to the interior of your home.

Chimney Bricks

Besides water coming in through the opening of the chimney, this is perhaps the most common problem associated with water damage and chimneys. Bricks are meant to pass water, and they are usually quite resilient. However, it should be noted that chimney bricks oftentimes have the same issues that chimney crowns do. This means that changing weather patterns can cause them to crack and sometimes crumble, ensuring that water will pass through the bricks and eventually lead to water damage in the innards of your home. You can fix this issue by making sure that your bricks have adequate sealant liberally applied them on a bi yearly basis.

When it comes to your chimney, the potential of water damage affecting your home is relatively low. However, there are certain things you should be on the lookout for and certain preventative measures that you can take. When you have your chimney cleaned, ask the chimney cleaner if they noticed any of the above damage. Since chimney damage might not always be readily apparent, having their input will help you address any serious chimney issues more quickly. If you are looking for chimney cleaning services, check out a site like http://earlytimeshomesolutions.com.