Metal Chimney Repair

Repairing a metal chimney may be necessary from time a time. A chimney that is broken creates a dangerous situation for everyone in your home. Instead of putting your family at risk of fire, toxic gas inhalation, and more, simple repairs can help keep you safe.

Metal chimney repair may be easier than you think. In most cases this is something that an experienced DIY hobbyist can do without professional assistance. If your metal chimney is damaged it needs to be repaired sooner rather than later for safety reasons.

Inspection

You want to inspect the entire chimney, especially the pipe. Once you locate the areas that are damaged you can mark them out. In most cases if one spot needs repair you'll find another area that needs to be replaced or repaired as well.

Making the Repair

Protect the floor near the pipe by laying down plastic sheeting. This will catch soot and other grime that will fall. Locate the screws in the joints edge in the area that needs to be replaced. Loosen these and put them aside. If the screws aren't damaged you can reuse them. Remove the damaged portion of the chimney pipe. You may have to work this a little to get it to pop out. Just be careful, this can have sharp edges. 

Cleaning

Once you have the damaged pieces removed you can work on cleaning the remaining portion of the pipe. This serves a few purposes. It helps you to see what you're doing when you install the new sections. It also prevents grime from escaping down the chimney as you place the new pipe.

Installing New Sections

Work in reverse to install the new sections of pipe. As long as the screws from earlier weren't damaged you can reuse these. Test to ensure the pipe is securely in place.

Professional Inspection

You may want to have a professional inspect your work to make sure everything is in order and safe to use again.