My chimney leaks water profusely into my basement, coming out through seams in the pipe or even running out of the stove. We've got a cap so thats not it. We have another chimney right next to it with the exact same cap and no water leaks through it. Just installed the chimney a couple years ago and the problem is getting worse and worse with more and more water every time it rains.

Any ideas? Will take pics if that would help.

Thanks.

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Cheers,
Bill

Is it a masonry chimney on an outside wall?

If so it may be coming through the masonry.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

It's block with an 8" by 8" masonary [?] flue. Flue is that brown baked looking stuff if you know what I mean.

If it is coming through the block and flue, what do I do to seal it out?

My brick chimney doesn't leak a drop.

Thanks a lot for the reply. Am at my wits end with this situation.

EDIT....Yes, it is on an outside wall.

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Cheers,
Bill

Hi Bill - I'm a home inspector and could help if you could post a few pics. There is a cap on the chimney (mortar one on top of the brick, hugs the chase) not just a spark arrestor, right? Post pic's, I'll see what I can do...

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No coffee, no workee!

Will post pics when I get a chance to take them so stay tuned.....

Meanwhile the cap can best be described as a wire mesh on the bottom with a flat24" by 24" or so cap on the top.

Sure appreciate any help/suggestions. Thank you.

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Cheers,
Bill

If its coming through the block, which would not be at all surprising since block is roughly equal to bread in porousity, the block needs to be made water resisitant. This could be done by coating it with surewall or by sealing it with masonry sealer or replacing it with a low porosity brick.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I'll seal if thats the problem. Less costly than brick.

Will post pics soon...

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Cheers,
Bill

These are the best photos I could get of the cap. Hope you can tell whats what...

The chimney in question is the block one.


It's got an 8" by 8" terra cotta liner.

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Cheers,
Bill

Water could be soaking into the cinderblock just about anywhere, but the most likely spot would be where the block meets the adjoining brick chimney, at the top.

Water migration is seldom a problem on vertical masonry surface. The typical problem areas are caps, rakes, etc, where water can collect in recessed mortar joints & have time to penetrate.

The first place to look is the hardest spot to get to, right up top between the 2 clay liners.

Block like that is a pretty sorry excuse for a weather sheild. On a really tall surface like that with no overhang protection i would expect it to absorb water like a fiend.

Of cousres it can also be coming in a specific place as suggested by the stone seller.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I can see how it would leak through the block but the terra cotta shouldn't leak much I wouldn't think. It's a LOT of water coming in not just a little.

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Cheers,
Bill

Clay flues are not made of dense material. It would be almost as absorbant as the CMU's.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

I agree with all of the above but block like that is a raceway for water to run down into your basement, in a heavy rain I bet water streams down the cinder...straight into you basement.

Does it ever.

Wasn't bad when first put up but now that its been up a couple years the water streams in. There's barely what I would call a shower going on now and it's dripping.

I still don't see how it gets through the flue. That terra cotta looking stuff has a baked on finish.

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Cheers,
Bill

Whats a CMU?

EDIT....Stoneseller....thats what I've been wondering too. I am in no way a ladder guy so I don't just what iut looks like between the two chimneys. All I know is its very tall....45 feet with an electric wire right there on the right. No way am I going up there.

Will drive anything you've got over 120 MPH though.

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Cheers,
Bill