An unused, capless chimney can be the perfect environment for mold and mildew to take hold. It happens because the chimney is constantly exposed to moisture, which mold and mildew need to grow.
Another cause for concern is chimney mold—which can grow and spread inside of your fireplace and chimney. Most homeowners are unaware that chimneys can have such a problem, but with their ability to hold extra moisture, the inside of a chimney can quickly become an excellent environment for mold to thrive.
If you have an unused chimney in your home, it's important to consider capping it off to prevent heat loss and moisture build-up. Not only can these issues be costly to fix down the line, but they can also pose safety concerns.
Due to the potential damage mold can do to your chimney and family, it's always best to consult a professional before taking any action. The best way to properly remove chimney mold is by requesting a professional chimney sweep from your local fireplace service company.
As one of the biggest causes of a draughty home, it can make sense to block a chimney opening, especially for larger unused fireplaces. Fixing a draughty chimney not only makes your home more comfortable, it helps to lower energy costs too.
Yes, chimneys need to breathe, even if they won't be used anymore. The vast majority of problems with chimneys are related to moisture, and that's the issue as regards ventilation. If there is no air flow in the chimney, moisture gets trapped and deterioration of the chimney structure will be accelerated.
You Notice Discoloration on the Chimney Walls
Mold often appears as dark spots, patches, or streaks on surfaces. These spots can be green, black, or white, depending on the type of mold and the environmental conditions.
On almost all wood surfaces, distilled white vinegar is a very efficient method to kill mold effectively. It will go through the wood and kill the fungus at its source. Painted or stained wood can be cleaned with a cleaning solution of warm water and dishwashing detergent or laundry detergent.
However, if you don't have a fireplace but your home still has a standing chimney, do you still need to clean and maintain it? The answer is yes. Unused chimneys still need cleaning and maintenance because moisture can develop in the flue, and critters and debris still find their way inside.
Our disused chimney cap cowl (aluminium) is designed to cap off unused chimneys and prevent rain, birds, leaves, and vermin from getting into the chimney stack. This chimney cowl is made from aluminium which is beneficial as it is a corrosive-resistant material.
There are other ways you can close off your chimney on top. You could glue or silicone an angle grinding disk flat onto the chimney pot. The hole at the center of the angle grinding disk allows air to enter the chimney with minimal rain water entering too.
Creosote is a black, tar-like substance that forms inside your chimney when smoke doesn't entirely escape.
Musty, damp odors also commonly eschew from chimneys. Whether it's due to a missing chimney cap, a crack in the chimney, damaged flashing or simply water being absorbed by the masonry materials, mold and mildew can form in the chimney, causing this unpleasant odor. A rotting smell.
Hydrogen peroxide, commonly used to disinfect wounds, is active against a wide variety of micro-organisms including mold. It acts by releasing oxygen at a rapid rate, which kills mold by oxidizing the surface and breaking down proteins and DNA.
Dried mold will become temporarily inactive like a colony in hibernation. They can remain dormant for years and won't easily go away.
Thus, exposure to the toxicity of black mold can cause harm to our physical health. Cleaning it yourself risks a greatly increased chance of acquiring damaging health conditions by unsettling the toxins into the air. Depending on the frequency of mold exposure, an individual's health can be severely compromised.
To remove mold from the inside of your chimney, you'll need to call in a certified chimney sweep. However, if you see mold on the outside of your fireplace, it can generally be removed with a special anti-fungal cleaner and wire brush.
Thickness Test: Wearing gloves, carefully scrape a section of the chimney liner with a fireplace poker or similar tool. If the soot or creosote layer is 1/8 inch thick or more, it's time for a cleaning. Thicker layers of creosote can be particularly dangerous due to their highly flammable nature.
Stains at the Chimney Top – Black or brown stains at the top of the chimney, just below the flue opening indicate a creosote buildup in the chimney system. With nowhere else to go, the creosote is forced out of the flue, but on the inside, there is likely a major buildup and dangerous obstruction.
If you are absolutely sure the chimney is no longer used by any of the home's fuel-burning appliances, then, yes, by all means, take the chimney down below the roof. Anything that projects through the roof is a source for a leak just waiting to happen.
If they are open-topped and your chimney is not in use it's possible that rain or moisture is entering through the opening and causing damp in your chimney.
An unused chimney should always be swept and given a little ventilation top and bottom. Ask your Guild sweep how best to do this for your situation.