Cracks on chimney, letting in water?

Kencollins

Hi all,

I bought a house recently that was built in early 90s. It has a chimney that has a flexi liner in it for a stove in the kitchen.

Above the kitchen is a bedroom with signs of damp on the chimney breast. It starts at floor level upstairs, and goes up for about 1 meter. The skim coat has blown and the plaster underneath looks wet sometimes. There are no signs of salts.

There was a leaking shower tray in the room behind which has been fixed and dried out with a dehumidifier.

I got the drone out to have a look at some cracks on the chimney. The man next door helped build the house. He told me that his brother insisted on putting steel supports on the chimney when it was completed as it is a windy area.

I have a feeling that these steel supports have actually cracked the chimney over the 20 years with thermal expansion and contraction.

From the photos attached, could water be getting into the mortar between the blocks and wicking down into the bedroom? The lead and capping all appear fine.

PICS:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rQJBi2FMMw8L2RHf7

Any opinions would be very welcome!

Thanks in advance.

Still waters

In my experience cracks like this rarely let in enough water to be seen internally, there's what looks like soot leakage in one of the pictures, I'd be getting the fire going and see does it start to dry, also I'd get a witches hat for the flu to stop rain getting in which could cause the problems you have if chimney hasn't been used in a while, if this doesn't solve it id start with replacing the cap and getting the chimney replastered with a silicone based render

Kencollins

Thanks for the reply!

There is no fire, the Flexi flu liner is connected directly to an oil fired Stanley stove in the kitchen. It is always on low, so it fires for 5 or 6 minutes every hour or so.

There is already a silver cap on top of the chimney. It is a windy area though, I wonder is rain blowing in sideways.

I can't figure out where else the dampness in the bedroom is coming from, unless the mortar and plaster of the chimney breast absorbed a lot of water from the leaking shower?

Still waters

looking at the pics again, I'd be incline do get someone to check the lead and replaster and put a new cap on, the plaster on chimneys in exposed areas always breaks down in time if properly maintained, and it seems like yours is starting to show signs of wear

Regards the shower I dont think it's a contributing factor to your problem

tsue921i8wljb3

I had similar cracks on a chimney and water was getting in through them and seeping down so it is certainly possible.

Calahonda52

Cant see from the picture if the chimney pot is 100% sealed in the cap
Flashing etc looks okay. am puzzled by the rust stains on the flashing in picture 3, its not on the plaster... was it painted over, I don't think so