Where the chimney leak starts, found and fixed in San Marco Island
Water on the damper, stains on the ceiling or damp brick, each clue followed to its source in San Marco Island.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
What a leaking chimney looks like indoors
- Ceiling stain beside the chimney breast
- Dripping sounds inside the chimney in rain
- Rust streaks down the chimney or chase
- Water on a lower floor below the chimney
Jump to
Leak repair that starts with the path
Leak clues on the attic framing
If your attic is reachable, it can show where water travels. Look at the framing and the roof deck around the chimney with a good light. Stains, damp wood, rusty nails or wet insulation mark the path. Note which side of the chimney they are on.
Step only on joists or boards, and keep away from wiring. Do not move insulation around with bare hands. Tell us what you saw when you book a visit in San Marco Island. Stains high on the chimney side of the framing point to different causes than stains lower down on the roof deck.
Earlier patches as clues
A chimney that has leaked before often carries layers of earlier repairs. Smears of sealant, patched joints and coatings each tell part of the story. They show where someone once thought the water was getting in.
We look at each patch and ask whether it is still sound or whether water is now bypassing it. A patch that failed can point straight at the path. A patch that holds can rule an area out. Tell us what you know about past repairs, even roughly.
Water reaching a connected appliance
Some chimneys serve more than one appliance, such as a furnace or water heater on a lower floor. If water enters the flue, it can run down to that appliance's connection rather than the fireplace. Rust or water marks there are worth mentioning.
Tell us what else vents into the chimney, if you know. We check the flue top and the connection points we can reach. A water problem at an appliance connection needs the flue checked as well as the leak repaired, and we explain which trade handles the appliance itself.
Small leaks are worth catching early
A small leak can seem harmless when it shows as a faint mark after heavy rain. But water getting into a chimney keeps working on the masonry, the metal and the wood around it, whether or not the stain grows quickly.
Catching it early usually means a smaller repair. Left for a long time, the same leak can soften framing, rust the damper and loosen masonry. If you have noticed a small mark, it is worth arranging the free inspection in San Marco Island now rather than waiting for it to get worse.
What a leak repair quote in San Marco Island should show
- Roof junction from the roof and attic
- Masonry faces and mortar joints
- Wall joint on an outside chimney
- Earlier patches and coatings noted
Your chimney leak questions
Do you test the chimney with a hose on each visit?
No. We run one only when the job calls for it, usually when the evidence points to a few possible paths and a test would separate them. We explain why before we start and protect the room where water may appear.
How soon should a chimney leak be looked at?
Sooner is better. Water keeps working on the masonry, the damper and the wood around the chimney, even when the stain grows slowly. A small leak caught early usually means a smaller repair and less interior damage.
The chimney started leaking after a new roof. What now?
Tell us when the roof work was done and by whom. The roof junction is a likely suspect, because metal may have been reused or disturbed. We explain what we find in terms your roofer can act on.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Wood-Burning Fireplace Insert InstallationFit a wood-burning insert after assessing its host fireplace and full connection requirements.
- Chimney Flue RepairAssess repairs to damaged existing flue linings and distinguish them from a new liner installation.
- Ventless Gas Fireplace ServiceService the identified vent-free appliance without bypassing its required safety components.
We received your request
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