Are Vines On My Chimney A Bad Thing?
We get a call weekly from suburban Chicago homeowners asking about vines on the chimney and how that might impact their chimney’s safety. During a home inspection or a chimney inspection, your chimney sweep will probably advise you of the risks that vines cause on masonry.
As plants grow they seek light and moisture. As they seek moisture, they get stronger. So, if you have vines and ivy climbing up your walls, they are digging in some roots to get higher to seek out more light and moisture. Those roots can be very strong and plow their way through the mortar degrading the structure of your chimney. This can lead to the need for tuckpointing services.
Here in the Chicago area, we have very moist seasons and that is the time when these plants grow strong. As the roots get stronger, they are also creating more shade around your chimney and not allowing your brick and mortar to dry properly. Always moist spots can seriously damage your chimney.
- Will ivy and vines cause damage to your chimney tomorrow? Maybe not.
- Will ivy and vines cause damage to your chimney over time? Absolutely.
If you have vines on your chimney, you should have your chimney inspected. We can help you determine whether your chimney is safe for fires this winter. We are the Western Suburban Chicago Certified Chimney Sweep.
