# Brick Chimney leak



## Bcamp01 (Jan 8, 2019)

My brick chimney is leaking on the inside with heavy rains.  In the picture seems like the obvious spot that it is leaking from.  Would you all agree that this is the probablentry point for water?  Also, what kind of sealant is best to use here? 
Thanks!


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## Tegbert (Jan 8, 2019)

I would clean all that as best as you could and use clear silicone like ge silicone 2. 




Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25


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## blades (Jan 8, 2019)

that looks like a good place to start. If it does not resolve problem Then your mortar joints further down are the problem.  The good news is, if that should be the case, there are several clear sealants on the market that can be applied with a garden sprayer.  If nothing is loose.  Over the course of the last 40 years I have chased water intrusion problems on  brick chimneys on mutiple dwellings. Likely haven't seen it all but apx 90%


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## k0wtz (Jan 15, 2019)

maybe cut that old stuff out and start over!


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## wooduser (Jan 15, 2019)

Yes,  I'd remove that old roofing cement and use a trowel to lather on a new coating of roofing cement.  Perhaps reinspect your work a couple of days later and decide if a second layer is a good idea.

It will either solve the problem or you will need to look farther for possible problems.


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## bholler (Jan 16, 2019)

No absolutly do not use roofing cement use a good silicone.  And no spray on sealers wont do anything at all if the mortar is cracked.  They are only usefull if the masonry units are abnomally porous.

Can you post some pics of the masonry?


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## wooduser (Jan 16, 2019)

Hello bholler,

Why do you recommend against furnace cement?


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## bholler (Jan 16, 2019)

wooduser said:


> Hello bholler,
> 
> Why do you recommend against furnace cement?


Well I recommend against roofing cement because it is the wrong product for this application.  (And most others it is used for for that matter).  It will seal it up for at most a year then it will crack because it doesn't stay flexible enough and another coat will be applied.  By the time we get called out to actually fix the leak there is usually over a gallon of the crap on there we have to chip away to actually fix the problem


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## bholler (Jan 16, 2019)

Bcamp01 said:


> My brick chimney is leaking on the inside with heavy rains.  In the picture seems like the obvious spot that it is leaking from.  Would you all agree that this is the probablentry point for water?  Also, what kind of sealant is best to use here?
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> ...


The real problem is there is no lip on the chase cover it should have a lip and storm collar so you aren't relying just on a bead of caulk that gets stretched every time that chimney warms up.


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## wooduser (Jan 16, 2019)

bholler said:


> Well I recommend against roofing cement because it is the wrong product for this application.  (And most others it is used for for that matter).  It will seal it up for at most a year then it will crack because it doesn't stay flexible enough and another coat will be applied.  By the time we get called out to actually fix the leak there is usually over a gallon of the crap on there we have to chip away to actually fix the problem




<<
*How to Use Roof Cement*




*Related Articles*

1Install Roll Roofing on Low Slope Roofs
2Use of a Sealant to Stop Asphalt Shingle Leaks
3What Is in Plastic Roof Cement?
4Repair a Roof That Is Ponding




Roof cement is a multi-purpose patching material and adhesive for repairing holes and leaks in roofs; fixing rust spots and joints in leaky gutters and metal trim; and *stopping leaks in flashing around chimneys, valleys and coping. *It also is used to glue down loose asphalt shingles and fill cracks in concrete. Roof cement is an emulsion of asphalt, refined mineral spirits, plasticizers and non-asbestos reinforcing fibers. There are formulas for dry and wet surfaces.



Well  --- seems like it's within the uses recommended for roofing cement.  But I'll defer to your practical experience with the stuff.


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## wooduser (Jan 16, 2019)

Here's a video on installing the flashing and storm collar.  It looks like the flashing ought to be waterproof and the storm collar protecting against water getting down into the chimney pipe.

So that suggests that there was no proper flashing used at all in the case at hand,  with the furnace cement trying to substitute for both the flashing and storm collar.


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## bholler (Jan 16, 2019)

wooduser said:


> <<
> *How to Use Roof Cement*
> View attachment 238410
> 
> ...


Just because you find a site saying something does not mean it is true.  Roof cement is an absolute nightmare to those of us who actually fix leaks.


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## bholler (Jan 16, 2019)

wooduser said:


> Here's a video on installing the flashing and storm collar.  It looks like the flashing ought to be waterproof and the storm collar protecting against water getting down into the chimney pipe.
> 
> So that suggests that there was no proper flashing used at all in the case at hand,  with the furnace cement trying to substitute for both the flashing and storm collar.



This is a chase cover it doesn't need flashing just a lip turned up


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