The best thing a homeowner can do when installing or maintaining appliances is to hire professionals to do the legwork. Hiring an expert ensures that appliances are installed correctly and will operate safely according to industry best practices, or does it?
It’s important to hire the professional who is trained in one specific area to best ensure the job is done correctly. A trained HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) professional is not an chimney expert. An HVAC technician can install a hot water heater, but many make the mistake of venting heaters through the masonry chimney. It can cause numerous issues with your masonry chimney, even complicating the use of your fireplace or furnace.
Moisture and Your Chimney
There are multiple preventative steps homeowners can take to keep moisture out of the chimney. Chimney caps should be in place. The chimney crown, flashing, and waterproofing sealant work together to keep water from penetrating the masonry chimney. Water in the chimney, even a small amount, can wreak havoc on your mason.
The gases released from gas water heaters are different than those released from a wood fire, a gas heating appliance. Gas appliances burn clean and completely, venting very little materials, but just hot vapors. Wood fireplaces should produce very little material. This is especially true with properly seasoned wood.
The vapors produced by a water heater have a higher moisture content than those released from a furnace or fireplace. This essentially introduces moisture into the chimney. Beyond that, modern hot water heaters are high-efficiency appliances, leaving cool vapors to vent. These cool, moist vapors do not rise up the chimney as would smoke from a high-heat fire. Vented gases tend to seep through the masonry before released from the chimney. This can cause masonry damage as well as carbon monoxide poisoning. These problems can have major implications, from repair costs to injury and death. Vented gases tend to seep through the masonry before released from the chimney.
The Chimney Experts
A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS) is well educated and trained. These professionals know all about proper installation, use, and maintenance of chimney systems. Call a reliable chimney expert today for proper installation.
By adding another appliance to the chimney system, it can complicate the efficiency of the chimney, which complicates the efficiency of the fireplace or furnace also using the chimney. If you have recently had HVAC work done in your home near the fireplace or chimney, call a chimney expert to double check the chimney system for any possible problems.
Chimney Solutions Indiana has the solution for you and your chimney problems. We’re proud to serve and be a part of the greater Indianapolis area. Call us today or start your appointment online and let an expert take a look at your chimney. Your chimney’s efficiency and your safety might be at risk.