### Site Navigation

- Main Page
- About Us
- Services
- Employment
- Contact Us

### Customer Care

- Roofing Quote
- Fencing Quote
- TRF Payments
- Residential Portfolio
- Commercial Portfolio
- Customer Center
- Links
- Testimonials

### Service Areas

- Irving Texas
- Coppell Texas
- Flower Mound Texas
- Arlington Texas
- Highland Village Texas
- Lewisville Texas
- Frisco Texas
- Little Elm Texas

### Other Services

- Gutters
- Remodeling
- Paint
- Chimneys

### Consumer Education 101

- Fencing
- Fencing Types
- Roofing
- Roof Temps
- Roofing Contractors
- Roofing FAQS
- Insurance Fraud

Roofing in Dallas/Ft. Worth

Tweets by @Sormand
Roofing Contractors, Denton, TX

# TRF Chimneys

Chimneys not only channel smoke out of your fireplace, they also serve to contain toxic gases, heat and flames. Heat and water tend to cause chimneys to deteriorate. For example, water driven into mortar joints by the wind and acid created by some woods when burned both lead to the erosion of mortar.
Inspections of the outside of your chimney should be done annually, checking every surface you can see, including any in-the-attic portions, looking for cracks and deteriorated mortar. Chimneys also need to be cleaned at least once a year. Depending on how often you use it and the kind of wood you burn, they may need to cleaned more frequently. Cleaning helps prevent poisonous fumes from entering the house or a fire in the chimney wall itself. It’s best to hire a chimney sweep company to clean your chimney.

## Checklist for Chimneys:

JOINTS AND FLUE. Wind driven rain often erodes mortar joints. These will need to be tuck-pointed by a professional. If not repaired, moisture can seep through, causing damage to walls and ceilings. Mortar should be packed around the flue.
HOT SPOTS. Every once in a while test for chimney hot spots by feeling reachable areas with your hand.
If an area on the chimney is unusually hot, this may need your immediate attention. Hot spots may mean a broken flue, a fire hazard that a mason should attend to before you use the fireplace again.
FLASHING. Check that your chimney has proper flashing around it. A seal should be made between the chimney and the roof. If this is not the case, consult a manual to repair the flashing or call a professional.
RAIN CAP. The rain cap consists of a roof with screening around it’s edge. It is connected to the top of the chimney. The rain cap should be tightly secured to keep rain, small animals and other debris out of your chimney.
LINER. A chimney liner serves to prevent seepage of smoke into the house through little cracks in the chimney. The liner is generally made out of metal or ceramic. In older homes, the chimney may not have a liner or it may be damaged. Consult with a mason or a home maintenance manual for further information on repairs.
METAL CHIMNEYS . Some chimneys are made out of stainless steel rather than brick and mortar. They require a two inch clearance on all sides. Check for cracks and make sure that the pipes are secured tightly together. These chimneys generally need to be cleaned twice a year.
On average, you can expect your roof to last 20-25 years depending on the pitch of the roof. Lower pitch roofs seem to weather faster. The most important way to protect your roof and avoid premature aging is to have proper ventilation.

### Texas Roof & Fence

Denton: 940-239-0337 :: Lewisville: 972.636.1622
Toll Free: 866.804.9448 :: Fax: 877.292.9198
514 N. Locust St. :: Denton :: Texas :: 76201
Site Statistics: Date: 12.04.12 · Online: 1 · Visitors: 171517 ·Today: 48