With over 20 years in the hearth industry, we get one question more than any other—“What have I got?” or “Is this a factory-built fireplace or a wood stove insert?” or “Is this a gas log set or a gas fireplace” or “It looks like a wood burning fireplace, is it?” No one in our industry intentionally set out to create a set of descriptions that lack clarity and uniformity, but that’s how it ended up. We’re here to help!
Is Your Chimney Leaking?
Most people don’t know that there are many parts to a chimney system that can allow water in. These weak points are different depending on if it’s a masonry chimney or factory-built chimney. Most parts of the chimney degrade with time, UV rays from sunlight, hail damage, and the freezing and thawing of typical Colorado weather. There are usually several suspected weak points when there are signs of water intrusion; but it can be challenging identifying exactly where the water is coming in from. Often, where the signs of water damage appear is not indicative of the leak’s actual location.
