Chimneys need maintenance on a regular basis
Chimneys are the cause of many flat roofs. There are many types of chimneys on flat roofs. They come in different shapes and materials. Brick Chimneys are the most popular but there are fieldstone and enclosed chimneys with siding.
We have been using Turbo Poly Seal by Bergstromm.com for most of our flat roof fixes and chimney repairs. This is a Polyurethaned mixed with asphalt resins based product. This product stays pliable and flexible after it cured. Making transitions from vent pipes, chimney flashing, plastic drains, and skylights have become very easy with Turbo Poly Seal.
Here are videos on Chimneys we have fixed. It is important not to use caulking when fixing chimneys and other objects on a roof. Caulking has its place but not on chimneys.
Why do you need to seal a chimney crown?
For the most part, chimney crowns only have a small cement slab that covers the top. These cement slabs are poorly poured and ten to crack causing leaks
What product should I use to seal a chimney crown?
We use Turbo Poly Seal; to seal a chimney cap.
A Chimney crown is one of the main problems on a Chimney
Watch this video on how we spotted the problem and then how we went about fixing the chimney crown.
Chimney Flashing Can Cause leaks
The counter flashing at the bottom of a chimney usually is not seated properly into the brickwork and therefore water can leak in behind the flashing.
Watch this video to get a sense of where this particular problem is on a chimney.
Wrapping a Chimney with Rubber membrane
The easiest way to take care of a chimney leak is to wrap the entire chimney with a rubber membrane. In this video below you can see how it is done.
The benefit of wrapping the entire chimney with a rubber membrane is it eliminates all the possible areas that could cause leaks. The crown, grouting, and the flashing at the bottom are covered with rubber and then the rubber is tied into the roof.
Chimney wrapped with Modified Bitumen Torch Down Membrane
This is a chimney in Brooklyn New York that we covered entirely with torch down rubber. Notice all the other chimneys in the background that are smeared with tar. Tar will never last and will always cause leaks.
When a chimney doesn’t have aesthetic value, then it is best to wrap it with a membrane to avoid future problems. Watch the video on what it looks like after we wrapped the chimney.
Brooklyn NY Chimney wrapped with rubber membrane
Here is another video showing you the before and after of what a chimney looks like when it was leaking and the solution we came up with to wrap it. This is a very cost-effective way of taking care of leaky chimneys.
Where to look for leaks around a chimney
Erik is showing all the possible areas where water could leak in from the flashing to the siding budding up to the chimney. The main objective is to identify what is causing a leak around a chimney.
The chimney crown causing the leak on a chimney
This video is about sealing the crown of a chimney to stop it from leaking. We used a rubber membrane to make this repair and it will last for a long time.