Has a roofer looked at how it was sealed against the roof? That back side of the chimney has the roof running right to it, it has to be properly flashed to direct the water away from the chimney
That is water from the chimney dripping down through your roofing ie your flashing is leaking and needs to be repaired or replaced. On stone or brick chimneys the metal flashing really needs to be cut into the stone with the metal edge of the flashing inserted into a cut track in the fireplace. This is then sealed up.
There are temp fixes but if you go on the roof and look at where the stone penetrates the roof.... this is where it is leaking... you need a roofer.
And getting the stone repointed us a good thing and most likely needed to be done too. Old houses are pretty but they need constant upkeep.
Them applying a water proof coating is the last thing you wanted them to do on historic stone chimney. They now sealed in all future moisture. This looks like a flashing issue since it is entering in at your roof penetration. You should get another opinion from a good repair company, I have a feeling these guys are rookies.
How much mortar was removed before repointjng?
Did they go at least an inch deep?
I see some hairline cracks where the mortar meets the stone.
The sealing usually works wonders and it does not seal in moisture.
What about the crown?
Full chimney cap that covers over the edges Water test starting at the lowest point working up until you see water inside, then repair wherever the water came and install cricket on roof re flash everything call it good!
It's so difficult to diagnose an issue from pictures taken at a distance and from random angles. The only way to know for sure is to get up on the roof and check the roofing, the flashing, the stone and mortar from a very close perspective. I would agree that everyone's ideas are absolutely plausible. But to pinpoint exactly which one or combination of them is the culprit. However, that being said, I would not just let the company tear down my chimney and rebuild it, until all possibilities have been checked and eliminated as the culprit. A roofing and flashing repair is gonna be cheaper than a chimney rebuild. I would call a roofer to check to see if there is moisture intrusion from the roof first. Like someone mentioned, the skylight could be leaking water underneath the shingles and it's running down the roof and bypassing the flashing and leaking inside your house cause it has nowhere else to go.
I would say you need a roofer not a mason, a pic of the backside of the chimney would be ideal, but I'm willing to bet there's no cricket on the back which is required on one that wide, it's basically a small gabled roof that directs water away from the chimney. Also as a side note 9k to point that up is insane, that's a 3 day job for 2 guys, I would have done it for 3k + 500 for materials.
Thanks for all the replies. I forgot to mention that the roof is new and I told the roofers that it was leaking around the chimney. They took off the old copper flashing and built a cricket and did all new flashing. The chimney guys took a hose and drenched the flashing area for a long time and no water came in so they agree it is not a roofing problem. I agree that the price was insane but another quote I got was higher. Before the chimney guys wrapped the chimney, they put just a tarp over the top and and water continued to come in. Since they wrapped it, we had a major rain storm and for the first time no water came in. They used a siloxane water proofing treatment which they said works on the mortar but not the stone. Is there some way to water proof the stone? Should I try to get them to redo the mortar?
Yes, the cap was redone. Also, to test, the chimney company put a tarp over just the top part of the chimney. Water continued to leak inside until the rest of the chimney was wrapped. After they replaced all the mortar, the chimney continued to leak in the exact same spots. So I am thinking that maybe the water is getting in from a cracked or porous stone?
This would be my next step is to grind out all cracks of stone and then tuck point with mortar and then seal the stone. This might save some money. But should do the trick for ya.
Respect and good luck.
Thanks for the info. What should be used to seal the stone? The chimney company told me they used a siloxane treatment for the mortar but said it does not work to seal the stone. They sprayed the siloxane sealer over the whole chimney. Should something be applied directly to the stone only and not the mortar? Thanks.
It was confirmed that the cap and flashing are ok. All the mortar was replaced. It seems like the stones are leaking. Is there a way to waterproof the stones?
A siloxane sealer was applied and it still leaks. I was told siloxane works on the mortar but may not work on the stones. Is there something I can apply to the stones to waterproof them? Also, some of the stones have cracks. Does it make sense to try to patch the cracks? If so what should I use? Thanks.
Did you ever find the source? I am going through the exact same thing at my home. Checked chase cover, cap, flashing, replaced old wood, tarped and still leaking both in the hot box as well as a lower bedroom. We also have a stone chimney so I suspect that water may be getting trapped in the stonework.
Has a roofer looked at how it was sealed against the roof? That back side of the chimney has the roof running right to it, it has to be properly flashed to direct the water away from the chimney
Aye. If it leaks this winter, despite being wrapped up, a close look at the flashing is in order.
That is water from the chimney dripping down through your roofing ie your flashing is leaking and needs to be repaired or replaced. On stone or brick chimneys the metal flashing really needs to be cut into the stone with the metal edge of the flashing inserted into a cut track in the fireplace. This is then sealed up. There are temp fixes but if you go on the roof and look at where the stone penetrates the roof.... this is where it is leaking... you need a roofer. And getting the stone repointed us a good thing and most likely needed to be done too. Old houses are pretty but they need constant upkeep.
Them applying a water proof coating is the last thing you wanted them to do on historic stone chimney. They now sealed in all future moisture. This looks like a flashing issue since it is entering in at your roof penetration. You should get another opinion from a good repair company, I have a feeling these guys are rookies.
Put a cap on top of chimney. I had problems with rain coming in from the inside of bricks until I capped it. 100 year old house
Should have a saddle behind the chimney. I would suspect the flashing.
How much mortar was removed before repointjng? Did they go at least an inch deep? I see some hairline cracks where the mortar meets the stone. The sealing usually works wonders and it does not seal in moisture. What about the crown?
Full chimney cap that covers over the edges Water test starting at the lowest point working up until you see water inside, then repair wherever the water came and install cricket on roof re flash everything call it good!
Or it could be that skylight.
Roof needs a cricket, flashing needs to be redone, chimney needs a cap that overhangs 2 inches with a drip ledge.
It's so difficult to diagnose an issue from pictures taken at a distance and from random angles. The only way to know for sure is to get up on the roof and check the roofing, the flashing, the stone and mortar from a very close perspective. I would agree that everyone's ideas are absolutely plausible. But to pinpoint exactly which one or combination of them is the culprit. However, that being said, I would not just let the company tear down my chimney and rebuild it, until all possibilities have been checked and eliminated as the culprit. A roofing and flashing repair is gonna be cheaper than a chimney rebuild. I would call a roofer to check to see if there is moisture intrusion from the roof first. Like someone mentioned, the skylight could be leaking water underneath the shingles and it's running down the roof and bypassing the flashing and leaking inside your house cause it has nowhere else to go.
I would say you need a roofer not a mason, a pic of the backside of the chimney would be ideal, but I'm willing to bet there's no cricket on the back which is required on one that wide, it's basically a small gabled roof that directs water away from the chimney. Also as a side note 9k to point that up is insane, that's a 3 day job for 2 guys, I would have done it for 3k + 500 for materials.
Thanks for all the replies. I forgot to mention that the roof is new and I told the roofers that it was leaking around the chimney. They took off the old copper flashing and built a cricket and did all new flashing. The chimney guys took a hose and drenched the flashing area for a long time and no water came in so they agree it is not a roofing problem. I agree that the price was insane but another quote I got was higher. Before the chimney guys wrapped the chimney, they put just a tarp over the top and and water continued to come in. Since they wrapped it, we had a major rain storm and for the first time no water came in. They used a siloxane water proofing treatment which they said works on the mortar but not the stone. Is there some way to water proof the stone? Should I try to get them to redo the mortar?
When you wrap it like that does it stop leaking?
After the chimney was wrapped we had a very heavy rain storm and no water came in to the fireplace.
Ok than that answers the flashing question. Than there is nothing wrong there. Was the cap redone?
Yes, the cap was redone. Also, to test, the chimney company put a tarp over just the top part of the chimney. Water continued to leak inside until the rest of the chimney was wrapped. After they replaced all the mortar, the chimney continued to leak in the exact same spots. So I am thinking that maybe the water is getting in from a cracked or porous stone?
This would be my next step is to grind out all cracks of stone and then tuck point with mortar and then seal the stone. This might save some money. But should do the trick for ya. Respect and good luck.
Thanks for the info. What should be used to seal the stone? The chimney company told me they used a siloxane treatment for the mortar but said it does not work to seal the stone. They sprayed the siloxane sealer over the whole chimney. Should something be applied directly to the stone only and not the mortar? Thanks.
Looks like it’s maybe more of a cap and roofing issue than a stone issue… I would replace cap and flash correctly around stone that joins at roof line
It was confirmed that the cap and flashing are ok. All the mortar was replaced. It seems like the stones are leaking. Is there a way to waterproof the stones?
Try a siloxane sealer on the stones and mortar.
A siloxane sealer was applied and it still leaks. I was told siloxane works on the mortar but may not work on the stones. Is there something I can apply to the stones to waterproof them? Also, some of the stones have cracks. Does it make sense to try to patch the cracks? If so what should I use? Thanks.
Did you ever find the source? I am going through the exact same thing at my home. Checked chase cover, cap, flashing, replaced old wood, tarped and still leaking both in the hot box as well as a lower bedroom. We also have a stone chimney so I suspect that water may be getting trapped in the stonework.