What Is Chimney Siding?
Chimney siding refers to the exterior materials covering the sides of your home’s chimney. However, just like any other aspect of your home’s roofing system the chimney’s siding needs periodic inspection and repair to prevent water permeation. Water is the enemy and we don’t want that enemy inside your chimney. The chimney may suffer damage over the years because of any moisture buildup or permeation and your chimney’s siding is another tool for prevention of this. Thus, it may require periodic replacement of its materials.
Wood Chimney Siding
Siding materials all have their own pros and cons. This is where getting a pro’s aid on choosing the right materials for chimney siding can come in handy. In fact, the pros at Golden Hands are happy to have helped Long Island NY homeowners for over 20 years. That’s over 20 years we have spent serving New York and honing our craft. Thus, we at Golden Hands are happy to share what we know with all of Long Island.Wood is very often often used as materials for chimney siding. However, wood can form holes that let water in to the chimney’s internal areas. Remember, water is the enemy and thusly, the cracks that can form can develop further water related issues. These problems can be fixed by a roofing and chimney siding specialist.
Aluminum Siding
Aluminum both looks great as siding on a chimney and is a very durable exterior siding material. It also rusts less than any other metal materials like steel and can be a very uniformed look. This type of siding on a chimney can be replaced if damaged. Owners, also in fact, enjoy this siding’s immunity to rotting and insect problems.
Vinyl Siding
This siding can be a hassle and is not recommended for chimney siding. In fact, it can become melted and thusly need be monitored. However, Vinyl siding is sometimes found on prefab chimneys. Vinyl, also, is more often combined with masonry materials for greater wear and fire resistance.
Melting Siding
A note to those Long Island homeowners experiencing melting siding; the below reasons could be why your vinyl chimney siding may be melting. :
- A western facing window that could be reflecting sunlight onto your siding.
- Melted siding in line with the reflected sunlight from a nearby window and unmelted in shaded areas nearby.
- Direct sunlight may also be the cause.
- The heat the chimney itself produces.
However, instead of speculation you should seek an expert to locate the source for your melted vinyl siding.
Masonry Siding
Generally, chimneys are made of masonry materials such as brick or stone. These materials are held together with mortar, a cement-like compound that over time becomes brittle and weak. Mortar can begin to crumble, threatening the integrity of the rest of the masonry material. Tuckpointing, or repointing, is done to restore the mortar that holds the masonry units of the chimney together. This repair is generally done by a masonry contractor.
Chimney Repairs
If your home’s chimney has faulty siding moisture can become an issue and lead to major headaches. Also, the effects of chimney problems are not limited to just the aesthetic. This can lead to internally damaged chimneys and costly repairs. Below are signs that your chimney may be in need of repairs or replacement.
- White staining
- Rusted damper and firebox
- Leaking
- Moisture buildup causing cracking
- cracking
- broken clay tiles
- chimney spalling
DIY or Seek a Professional?
We at Golden Hands Construction would not recommend a DIY project in regards to your chimney siding project needs. This is not a selling point, but the safety of someone not insured or experienced in chimney repairs is really something to consider. In fact, we do not just recommend ourselves, we recommend all homeowners turn to the company they trust the most with their roofing needs. The safety of Long Island homeowners and the integrity of their chimneys is of the utmost importance to us.
Contact Us
Contact us if you have any questions or are in need of a specialist for chimney repair or siding work on Long Island. Golden Hands Construction has happily served Long Island homeowners for the last 20 years and our google reviews show this story.