When most homeowners think about chimney damage, a raging roof fire comes to mind. In reality, the greatest long-term threat to your chimney isn't fire; it's water. Throughout the year, your chimney is exposed to water in many forms--from heavy spring rain to summer humidity to the repeating freeze-thaw cycles of winter. Over time, this moisture penetrates your chimney’s brick and mortar, causing masonry to crack, flake, weaken, and eventually fail. The bad news: Left untre

When most people think of chimney damage, the first thing that comes to mind is fire. While a chimney fire can wreak havoc on your...