Chimney leak detection, then repair, in Palmetto Bay
Tracing first, repair second, then a check with the next storm, for each chimney leak we take on in Palmetto Bay.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
What a leaking chimney looks like indoors
- Rust flakes on the firebox floor
- Wet attic insulation around the chimney
- Water marks returning after a patch
- Brown streaks on the chimney breast
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Our leak work for chimneys in Palmetto Bay
Keep a simple log of each leak
A short written log is one of the most useful things you can bring to a leak visit. Each time water appears, jot down the date, how heavy the rain was, how long it lasted and roughly which way the wind was blowing.
Add where the water showed up and whether it was a drip, a damp patch or a stain that grew. After a few entries a pattern usually appears. Share the log when you book the free inspection in Palmetto Bay, because it narrows the search before anyone reaches the roof.
Catching drips while you wait
While you wait for the leak to be found, protect the room. Move furniture and rugs away from the drip, set out a bucket or pan and keep the area dry. If water is collecting in a sagging ceiling, keep people clear of it.
If water is near a light fixture or outlet, switch off that circuit at the panel if you can do so safely. Hold off using the fireplace until the source is known. Then call us to arrange the inspection, and tell us how fast the water is coming in.
Standing water behind the damper
The smoke shelf sits behind the damper, at the bottom of the space where the flue begins. Rain coming down the flue often collects there. Debris on the shelf can hold water and let it soak into the masonry around the fireplace.
We check the shelf during the inspection if it can be reached through the damper. Standing water or wet debris there points strongly at the top of the chimney. Cleaning the shelf is a simple step, but the source of the water still needs its own repair.
A fireplace that has been boarded up
Some fireplaces have been closed off with a board or panel. A leak into the flue can then go on for a long time without anyone seeing it. Water may collect behind the panel, and the first sign may be a stain on the wall around it.
If your fireplace is closed off, tell us. We may need to open it to see the firebox and damper. We put the cover back as we found it. The chimney top is checked as usual, because a closed fireplace does not stop rain from entering above it.
Included when we trace a chimney leak
- Masonry faces and mortar joints
- Chase cover and storm collar
- Debris cleaned up and hauled away
- Workmanship warranty on the repaired part
Asked often about leaking chimneys
Should I seal the chimney myself while I wait for the visit?
It is better not to. Surface sealers applied without knowing the path often miss it and can hide the evidence we need. Catch the drips, protect the room and hold off using the fireplace until we have looked.
What should I have ready when you come to look at the leak?
Your notes on when water appeared, pencil marks on stains, a clear path to the attic hatch and any papers from earlier chimney or roof work. Debris that fell into the firebox is useful evidence too.
How can the stain appear so far from the chimney?
Water rarely drops straight down from where it enters. It follows framing, the flue or the inside of a wall until it finds a way out. The mark shows the end of that route, and we trace it back to the start.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Prefab and Zero-Clearance Fireplace RepairIdentify and repair manufactured fireplace components using the appropriate model information.
- Spalling Brick Repair and Chimney Brick ReplacementReplace deteriorated chimney bricks while retaining suitable surrounding masonry.
- Firebox RepairRepair the damaged fireplace chamber using an approach suited to masonry or manufactured components.
- Fireplace Hearth RepairRepair the hearth surface after considering the supporting assembly and fireplace requirements.
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Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo