Rain running down the inside of a chimney will eventually wash the cement out of the mortar, leaving only sand between the bricks. In drier climates, the chimney pot on top of the chimney vents out its’ top, which is fine because there’s not enough rain to do much damage – the rain simply runs down the inside a bit and dries up. But in rainier climates the lid on a cement chimney pot should direct the water down the sides of the chimney pot like a hat, thus preventing water from going inside the chimney. This is accomplished by using a different chimney pot – one that has open spaces like small windows on two of the four sides and a lid on its’ top. The smoke will then come out the sides of the chimney pot rather than out the top.
We can install a side-venting chimney pot and lid and a sloped collar around the pot to ensure that the rain water sheds away from the chimney. If you wish we can step out the bricks at the top of the chimney. This is called a corbel and will ensure that water does not run down the sides of the chimney either, thus reducing maintenance – the need for frequent chimney pointing.
