It’s finally the winter and holiday season, and many of us are taking stock of our home before guests arrive for Thanksgiving. We’re cleaning, rearranging, and getting ready for family, friends, children, and others who may be staying over. While the inside of the home is important, the outside of your home may be posing an unexpected liability for your holiday gatherings. When was the last time that you looked at your chimney? If it has been a while, it’s time to give it a once over. If you notice that it is leaning, we have a few tips about what to do.

How Does a Leaning Chimney Happen?

There a few main ways that a leaning chimney can start. One of these is related to the way that the ground was prepared. If it was not properly compacted before the chimney footing and chimney was placed on it, then the ground is loose and can shift. This is the perfect setting for a leaning chimney. In this same vein, if the footing is too small or too shallow in the ground, it does not provide a good base for the chimney or it is not able to resist changing soils because it is not deep enough. That’s why it’s so important to have a contractor who knows what they’re doing when they place your chimney. Lastly, you may have changes to your chimney that are caused by settlement and changes in your soil. Settlement can cause cracks, leaks, and leaning chimneys. The most important thing to remember about leaning chimneys is that they are not isolated, and they could indicate that the rest of your foundation is also experiencing problems that need to be addressed.

Signs of a Leaning Chimney Problem

If you don’t specifically see a leaning chimney, or you’re not sure if it’s leaning, you can also look for some other signs around the home and foundation that could indicate foundation failure and a leaning chimney. If you are seeing cracks, bowing walls, sticking doors and windows, leaks in the foundation, or other problems like this, you may have foundation repair that needs to be done. Additionally, if your chimney is pulling away from the home or you can see it visibly, you can be sure that you are having problems with a leaning chimney. When you see these issues, don’t wait–call Reliable Waterproofing and Masonry. Never leave a foundation repair problem, it will not get better, only worse.

Leaning Chimney Solutions

Crack repair is probably not the answer in this situation! In most cases, crack repair is not going to resolve the actual underlying problem. The first thing to do is call the professionals at Reliable Waterproofing & Masonry. We are happy to perform a free estimate and find out what’s going on with your leaning chimney. We give you an idea of what we would do to resolve the issue, and how much it could cost. In many cases, the footer needs to be stabilized, and this will mean that we will use underpinning to do so. There are a few different methods, but most commonly piers are used to stabilize. Every case is unique, and we will talk with you about your home. Regain stability and safety in your home before the holidays.

Call Reliable Waterproofing & Masonry for All Leaning Chimney Problems

If you’re having problems with a leaning chimney or suspected foundation problems, it’s time to call Reliable Waterproofing & Masonry. Get scheduled for a free estimate, and we’ll get you back on the road to safety and stability just in time for the holiday season. Contact us today for more information.