Why is My Chimney Stained White?

If your chimney looks like the image above, with white stains across it, then your chimney may be in urgent need of repair.

What’s the White Stuff?

The technical term for these white stains is efflorescence. This white discoloration on a chimney comes from excess moisture. You can try to remove the white stain through cleaning, but that’s not going to be enough to protect your chimney’s structural integrity in the long run. Like putting socks on a smelly foot, you aren’t really fixing the issue, just covering it up for now.

What Can I Do to Fix It?

There are a few reasons for damp chimneys, so be sure to call our expert technicians at A Step in Time to make sure that you correctly identify and resolve the source of your white stains before the structural integrity of your chimney is compromised. With annual chimney inspections and cleanings, you can avoid excess moisture early on. If you haven’t done any maintenance on your chimney in a while, however, and notice these white stains, then call us at 1-800-347-3626. If you act quickly, it may not be too late to address the issue and avoid the need for major repairs to your chimney.