Chimney leaning or separation diagnosis:

This article describes the detection and diagnosis of leaning or separating chimneys that have moved away from their building. Because a moving masonry chimney is likely to be unsafe, risking fire and carbon monoxide gas hazards, inspectors and building owners need to be alert for clues indicating that the chimney has moved or is experiencing ongoing movement. Expert chimney evaluation and repair are required.

Chimney Leaning, Building Separation, Movement - Outdoors

Watch out: Any movement in a masonry chimney risks damage to its interior liner and could be a safety concern.

When we see signs of movement in any chimney, particularly a masonry chimney, there is risk that the chimney's internal flue is damaged, risking a building fire or fatal carbon monmoxide poisoning. Be sure that your chimney flue is inspected for safety.

The photo above shows even from a distance that the chimney is curved, so we'd be alert for flue damage or for evidence that the chimney has separated from the building.

Most-Common Chimney Movement: Leaning

Above: significant movement of a brick chimney away from the building. Notice that the gap between chimney and wall is wider as we look up, closer to the roof.

When a chimney has separated from a building, usually the problem is in the chimney or its supporting footing, causing it to lean away from the structure. It would be possible but rare for the opposite case to occur, that is, for the building to move away from the chimney.

Usually you will see that the gap between chimney and building wall is greater high on the wall and less (the gap is smaller) lower down, closer to the ground: a pattern that confirms that the chimney is leaning away from the building.

You might also simply measure both chimney and building wall to see which is plumb. Use a plumb line to measure changes in chimney or wall angle over a higher distance to get more-accurate results.

At BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS  we give details of how to measure leaning or bulging bowing chimneys or walls or foundations.

Remember to inspect inside the building for other signs of chimney movement or damage that you might see in a basement, in the attic or roof cavity, or if there is a fireplace, in the fireplace or at the fireplace hearth.

At CHIMNEY MOVEMENT CAUSES we catalog the various reasons that you might see chimneys that are leaning, bulged, or for masonry chimneys cracked.

At CHIMNEY MOVEMENT, ONGOING vs STATIC we discuss indications that a chimney crack or separation gap was due to a single event or is an ongoing problem.

Other Types of Chimney Movement: Cracks, Curves or Bulges

Vertical cracks through the actual blocks of a concrete block chimney (above) are probably not a chimney leaning problem but more-likely are due to frost, water, or heat damage.

Bulged or curved chimneys at mid height are a different problem and are probably not caused by a bad chimney footing.

Rather, chimney may appear to curve away from the building at mid-height (below) when it has not been properly secured to the building with lateral support.

A brick chimney that is curved, especially if the curve is just above the roof line, may also be caused by a combination of lacking an interior flue liner and sulphation - a process we describe in detail

at  CURVED BRICK CHIMNEYS, SULPHATION.

The second above shows a chimney to viewed from the ground, with our camera zoomed, and photographed during a rainstorm - not an unusual inspection conation.

We can see some incomplete repairs to a brick at the chimney top and other spalled, loose bricks. This chimney needs further inspection and probably some repairs, as well as a rain cap.

The condition of the top exterior section of the chimney and the exposed flue liner will generally reveal the soundness of the chimney above the roof line. The exterior of the upper portion of a chimney can be seen from the ground level though not in detail.

Below we show more photos of chimneys that are cracked, leaning, or separated from their building.

We identify clues indicating chimney movement, evaluate the extent of chimney movement, the probability of internal flue damage (an unsafe condition and a fire and carbon monoxide hazard), the probable cause of chimney separation and movement, and the chimney repairs that are needed.

Above: our client is pointing to a gap seen between this masonry block chimney and the building wall. Below in our photo we take a closer look.

Chimney Movement detected outdoors:

The photographs just above show a chimney which probably lacked a good footing, possibly aggravated in its lean by roof spillage onto the area where a footing should have hold the chimney steady.

A careful look at the photo above suggests that there have been prior attempts to "repair" this gap simply by adding concrete, as we see at least two layers of different concrete material; but the chimney has continued to move awayu from the building.

Movement at both of these chimneys has been significant, the chimney interior and fireplace are likely to be damaged and unsafe, and major repairs are needed.

Bad Moving Chimney Repairs & Attempts to Hide Chimney Movement

Watch out: Attempts to hide chimney movement can be dangerous since if there is a safety problem the building owner or inspector may not pick up its clues.

The fresh and thick band of caulk between the chimney and the wall as shown in this photograph were traced to a chimney separation that had been "repaired" simply by more caulking at the wall.

Because caulk is flexible, if it has been recently applied caulking may hide an ongoing chimney movement problem. But even if the chimney is no longer moving (or we think it is not moving) an inspection for flue safety and fireplace safety are essential.

The observation of evidence of movement in chimneys was introduced

This article series on diagnosing cracked, leaning, or moving chimneys includes a series of detailed diagnostic articles on diagnosing chimney cracks and movement.

Remember: Movement such as curving or leaning or separation from the building, especially in masonry chimneys, can cause damage to the flue liner or openings that might admit sparks (fire risk) or gases (carbon monoxide hazards) into the building structure or even into occupied spaces.

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Continue reading at CHIMNEY INSPECTION from GROUND or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• CHIMNEY COLLAPSE RISKS, REPAIRS
• CHIMNEY CRACK DIAGNOSIS
  • BRICK CHIMNEY CRACKS & COLLAPSE
  • CONCRETE BLOCK CHIMNEY CRACKS
• CHIMNEY DAMAGE by LEAKS & FROST
• CHIMNEY FLUE INSPECTION CAMERA
• CHIMNEY INSPECTION, FLUE INTERIOR
• CHIMNEY INSPECTION from GROUND
• CHIMNEY LEANING, SEPARATION, MOVEMENT
  • CHIMNEY INSPECTION from GROUND
  • CHIMNEY MOVEMENT CAUSES
  • CHIMNEY MOVEMENT CLUES, INDOORS
  • CHIMNEY MOVEMENT, ONGOING vs STATIC
  • CHIMNEY FOOTING DEFECTIVE / MISSING
  • FOUNDATION SUPPORT for CHIMNEYS
• CHIMNEY LEANING, REPAIR OPTIONS
• CHIMNEY MOVEMENT, ONGOING vs STATIC
• CURVED BRICK CHIMNEYS, SULPHATION - other examples of cracking, moving chimneys

Suggested citation for this web page

CHIMNEY LEANING, SEPARATION, MOVEMENT at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to CHIMNEYS & FLUES

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