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"But my chimney
looks fine on the outside."
Your chimney, like most chimneys,
probably appears to be in fine condition on the outside. But let's
take a close look at what really counts in chimney operation .... the inside.
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Now look inside
... see the problems?
A look at the inside of
the same chimney shows how acid-laden residue from the furnace has attacked
this flue. The original clay liner has eroded away; pieces of it are
even missing. (Old chimneys might not even have a liner.) Mortar
and bricks are loose and falling, and moisture has leeched through to the
home's interior walls.
With continued use, more erosion will take place,
possibly leading to leaks in the flue, complete flue blockage, or possibly
even carbon monoxide poisoning of the home's occupants.
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Chimney problems
can cause illness and even loss of lives.
It's happened thousands of times - illness, even
death, from carbon monoxide or sulfur dioxide poisoning.
With deterioration of the flue, the deadly gases
can find their way into your home through even the smallest cracks.
In severe cases, the chimney erosion will lead to
partial or complete internal collapse, blocking the flue and sending these
poisonous gases into the home.
But fortunately, the problems of a deteriorating gas or
oil furnace flue can be corrected without completely rebuilding your chimney.
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