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I have a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace/chimney which leaks during heavy rains. I’ve checked flashing, caulking, etc. Any idea where the problem may be? Thanks.
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leaks where?!?
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Water seeps through the stone from exterior onto the interior surface of the stone starting at the sides, about mid-way up to its 17-foot ceiling height, towards the center of the chimney wall.I hope this is clear, if not, I'll try again.Thanks.
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Hi Sid,
Yes, I can see it now. It's the third stone on the North East corner about 8 feet from the top.
My advise is to have a local mason who is experienced in stone fireplaces give your fireplace a good going over during a heavy rain.
Gabe
*Water tends to seep through stone joints, not stone. Gabe's advise about a local mason is good. In our area, one of the chimney sweeps is also one of the best chimney masons, and also very reasonable. A surprising amount of water can come down a chimney, too, if there isn't a cap.After repointing, if necessary, there are also some chimney-oriented, silane-based waterproofing coatings that help too.Jeff
*Repoint and "paint" with a chimney sealer. You probably are right about were the water is comming from but remember, water is tricky. One of the most difficult things we, as building professionals (well not all of us), have to do is figure out where water is getting in. Water can travel a long distance in hidden areas before you see it sometimes.
*I would have to agree with Jeff, fix any open morter joints and seal with silane-based waterproofing coatings (Siloxane is one brand). It is very expensive, but we had a house with Old brick parapit walls that leaked bad. One good coat of siloxane, and the leaking went away. It is absorbed into the pores of the brick/morter and expands to fill the voids.
*Gabe,you are quite the practical joker.I can't help but be amused at the phone call this is gonna inspire:" Hello,XYZ Stone Masons? Could you drop whatever you are doing,drive over to my place in the rain?Climb up on the roof in a heavy rain and inspect my stone fireplace? Oh ya,I gonna need a free estimate"The best part of this is ,that at last someone will be fielding this call besides me.share the pain,Stephen
*... i wouldn't dream of building a stone chimney without a copper thru-flash...the fissures, joints , and chanels in a stone chimeny mean u can go back 500 times and still not water proof it..my asumption is... a stone chimney will leak..it has to be thru-flashed to the clay flue liners.. which means (assuming yours was NOT thru-flashed) that the chimeny has to be torn down to the roof ..get a good tin knocker... install a proper soldered copper thru-flash to the flue liners and then rebuild the chimney..you can seal the outside 'til the cows come home... and you MAY get lucky.. but it will only be temporary.. and u probably won't get lucky.. just frustrated..bite the bullet and do the thru-flashb but hey whadda i no ?
*Sorry Stephen,Not a practical joke. The mason would not see anything from the outside in the rain that he wouldn't see when it wasn't raining. BUT, what he would see from the INSIDE during a rainstorm may be a different matter.Kinda like when you bring a car in to have some intermitent problem solved when it won't do it in front of the mechanic. So you end up paying for a lot of repairs that you may not have needed until you accidently fix the actual problem that would have easily been identified had the mechanic heard the ping for himself.From the mason's viewpoint, I think that he would rather only make one visit than two to do an estimate.Gabe
*Mike,will that copper thru-flash affect the stability of the chimney? If I am visualizing correctly,everything above the pan will depend on gravity to keep it in place and there will be no way for mortar to interlock the 2 layers together.Also,is a different type of mortar used for stone work?Thanks,Stephen
*Gabe,I understand what you're saying because I get similar calls like this about a zillion times a week.On one level it is good advice,but it is ultimately impractical since it is fairly difficult to schedule rainstorms to coincide with the prospects available time AND my available time.Of course each prospect thinks they have the most urgent problem and they want you at their house at the NEXT storm irregaurdless of your other commitments.viewing the water seep out of the stone work and into the room in person will probably be of limited value.The real question is how does the water get INTO the stone work---and that can only be seen from outside.the most important thing is----Free Estimate?How about Consulting Fee?Stephen
*steve...it was ever thus...this is an old old detail.. so the gravity part doesnn't bother me...most of the stone chimney work i see and use is block with a stone veneer... the basement work will be 8 inch block (or 12 or whatever is needed)and the main chimney will be 4 inch block.. and the stone veneer will be 4 or 6 or 8 or whatever the designer specs..anyways above the roof line the block work will come thru and the copper thru-flash will sit on the block work and the stone will wit on the flashing..the chimney will continue with either solid stone or block / stone veneer..and there will be weeps for any water to exit the stone...a thru-flash is a good detail for brick chimney work also.. especially if it is a central chimney... it is usually not used for brickwork though, to save money...the flashing can be stepped pan (recommended for stone work)... or flat panthe mortar is the same as for brick work.. whatever the mason wants to use... light or dark, b but hey, whadda i no ?
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I have a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace/chimney which leaks during heavy rains. I've checked flashing, caulking, etc. Any idea where the problem may be? Thanks.