Issues Humidity Brings To Your Chimney

We experience extreme weather living in the Northeast, from sweltering heat in the summer to cold and bitter in the winter. This has been an extremely hot and humid summer. Humid weather brings moisture into the air, which is not beneficial to your chimney. Humidity is the concentration of water vapor that is present in the air. You may not see the water, but you can sure feel it when the humidity hits high levels. 

You may experience an odor when the summer comes around and the days and evenings are humid. That moisture is getting into your chimney and creating mold spores.  Mold and mildew start to grow.  This adds to the smells that you are experiencing in the summer. During the course of the burning season, creosote builds up in the chimney and flue. 

What To Do?

• Regular Chimney Sweeps. Professional chimney experts suggest getting a cleaning or chimney sweep once a year. This will keep the smells at bay. Cleaning out the chimney of creosote, debris, small critters, and leaves will help prevent mold and mildew from growing.
• Chimney Cap. Check your chimney cap. A cap will help keep moisture out of the chimney. Keeping your chimney dry will deter any growth, especially on the hot, humid days. 
• Chimney Crown. The crown also plays a big part in keeping the chimney free from water. If the chimney crown is cracked, water will seep in. Once there is humidity in the air, mold and mildew will grow, causing smells to filter into your home.
• Install a Damper. Airflow is essential when you are burning a fire in your fireplace. It also keeps smells from getting into your home when not in use. 
• Use an air purifier. An air purifier can be beneficial in keeping your home free from humidity.
• Annual Chimney Inspections. You may not be aware of hairline cracks in the cap and crown, or if the flashing is letting water into your chimney. An annual chimney inspection by a reputable chimney company, such as Northeastern Chimney, will let you know if there are any issues that need to be addressed. 

When moisture from humidity combines with the creosote, odors are dispersed into the air.  So if you are smelling mold or see water in your firebox, it would be a good time to have our experts take a look at it. Rainy days will aggravate the smell as well.

Schedule your inspection or cleaning soon by calling Northeastern Chimney. We service all of Hartford, Tolland, and Litchfield Counties.

All our chimney technicians are trained and qualified. We are active in the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG). Our professional team is trained and qualified in everything chimneys.

Professionals suggest that an annual Chimney sweep and inspection be conducted.

When a problem arises, the best plan is to tackle it as soon as possible. This will cost you much less than if you let the damage to the fireplace and bricks go on too long.