Watch for smoke entering your home instead of going up the chimney, white staining on exterior bricks, rust on your damper, or water stains around your fireplace. Bad smells from your chimney, especially during humid weather, indicate moisture problems.
You might notice loose or missing mortar, cracks in your chimney crown, or damaged flashing where the chimney meets your roof. Soot dropping into your fireplace or difficulty starting fires also signal ventilation problems.
In Suffolk County’s coastal climate, these issues worsen quickly. Salt air and freeze-thaw cycles accelerate damage, so early repairs cost far less than waiting until structural problems develop.