Chimney Repairs & Homeowner’s Insurance Claims

When your chimney has suffered damage, getting it fixed is the top priority. If you have a homeowner’s insurance policy, your provider may pay for the repairs. Then again, the provider may not. It all depends on how the insurance company categorizes the cause of the damage.

Chimney Solutions of Alpharetta, GA, performs many chimney repair jobs as part of homeowner’s insurance claims as well as for homeowners who are self-paying. Here are some things that will be helpful to know should your chimney become damaged.

Types of Chimney Damage Insurance Covers

Most likely, your homeowner’s policy is set up to cover chimney damages caused by unexpected events. Examples might include:

• Lightning strikes
• Gale-force winds
• Pounding hail storms
• Earthquakes
• Falling trees and tree branches
• Some chimney fires

These are events you have little or no control over, thus they’re considered “unexpected.”

Expected Causes of Chimney Issues

On the other side, there are causes of chimney damage that your insurance carrier likely will call “expected,” meaning, based on your actions (or lack thereof), the damage was predictable.

Homeowner’s insurance usually won’t pay for damage caused by neglect. If regular chimney cleaning, inspections and timely repairs aren’t performed, a chimney won’t operate safely or stay in shape for very long.

Neglecting these key maintenance tasks can result in:

• A chimney that leans or collapses
• Major brick damage
• Widespread water damage
• Damage to components such as the chimney crown, cap, chase top and flashing
• Chimney liner damage
• Interior masonry damage
• Damage due to acidic creosote
• Chimney fires due to excess creosote
• Damage to the roof, attic and other parts of the home adjacent to the chimney

Avoiding Damage from Neglect

There are three things that will help you avoid serious chimney damage from neglect and keep you from having to constantly deal with your insurance company.

1. Keep your chimney clean

Annual chimney sweep services are critical. Chimney Solutions provides CSIA-certified chimney sweeping to safely remove flammable creosote from your flue and rid your chimney of any debris that could hinder the drafting of smoke.

2. Have your chimney inspected once a year

Annual chimney inspections spot minor issues so they can be fixed before they become major and expensive. Our licensed chimney inspectors perform both basic and advanced chimney inspections.

3. Schedule repairs when needed

Never put off having your chimney repaired, no matter how “minor” the trouble may seem. No chimney trouble is “minor” – it always progresses to the point of potentially dangerous conditions if left alone. We provide a full menu of chimney repair and rebuilding services.

Get a Qualified Second Opinion on Chimney Repairs

When you run a claim through your homeowner’s insurance, your carrier will expect you to get several estimates. Even if you’re self-paying, this is a smart idea.

Our experienced chimney technicians are happy to give you a qualified second opinion on your original chimney repair estimate. There is no charge or obligation for this service.

We can help you put the project into perspective, and we may spot some things in the estimate that could cost you excess money or result in an incomplete job.

Call Chimney Solutions in the greater Atlanta area for second opinions and estimates as well as for chimney sweep services, chimney inspections and all chimney repair work. Speak with an experienced technician at (770) 255-1300.