Local Chimney and Fireplace Service in Thonotosassa

Tracing a leak to its source before anything is repaired is how our family-owned crew handles water problems for homes in Thonotosassa, in unincorporated Hillsborough County. We also sweep, repair and install fireplaces and chimneys there. Inspection costs nothing, and a leak repair or any other service carries a 10% discount if you approve it within the 72-hour window that follows the inspection.

Water that shows at the fireplace rarely enters there. It can come through a missing cap, a cracked crown, porous or cracked brick, open mortar joints or failed flashing at the roofline, and it can travel down the masonry or along framing before it appears. Each entry point has a different repair, so we work down the chimney from the top, checking each one in turn.

Some water is not a leak at all. When a gas appliance vents into an oversized or cold chimney, condensation can form inside the flue, and it drips and stains much as rain does. A roof leak beside the chimney, or an attic vent letting in wind-driven rain, can look the same from inside the room.

Telling these apart saves you from paying for a chimney repair that does not stop the water. A close inspection usually finds the entry point. When the job calls for it, we run a water test with a hose, wetting the chimney one section at a time from the bottom up while someone watches inside.

Before the visit, note whether the water shows up with any rain or only when the wind blows from a particular side, and whether it appears during the storm or hours afterward. Your estimate identifies where the water gets in and what the repair involves, each priced upfront. If the chimney top has to be opened, it is sheeted over every evening until the repair is closed up, and all debris is cleared and taken away.

Afterward, a written record sets out the cause we found and the repair, backed by our workmanship warranty. Describe where the water shows and when it appears. Please leave the roof to us, especially while it is wet.