What to Do if Lightning Strikes Your Chimney

Has it been storming in your area, and has lightning struck your home recently? You are advised to have your chimney checked immediately. Given the complexity of chimneys, it’s ideal to be inspected by a trained professional. Reliable Design-Build-Remodel, the Birmingham, AL metro area’s remodeling expert, talks about what you should do if lightning strikes your chimney.

Why should you call for help? Remember that a lightning strikes your chimney is a serious matter as it can:

• Ignite creosote and eventually cause a fire.
• Shatter pieces of brick and mortar or stonework.
• Warp, buckle or detach a metal chimney or flashing.
• Crack a chimney crown or chimney liner.

To ensure your safety following a lightning strike, you are urged to:

1. Contact 911 or your local fire department. Even if you don’t see flames or smell smoke, it could have sparked a fire in the chimney or attic. It is much safer to let firemen investigate to see if the lightning has sparked a fire than to go looking for it yourself. Stay away from the chimney, especially the exterior walls also. Lightning can do serious damage to masonry. If you stand too close, you risk the possibility of being struck by falling stones or bricks.
2. Set up a chimney inspection. Keep in mind that damage to the chimney liner may be hidden and hard to diagnose. Hire a chimney expert who can easily assess the health of the structure. You can ask the company to complete any relining or repair work as needed.

Reliable Design-Build-Remodel is a full service general construction firm and remodeling contractor operating in the Birmingham metro and Jefferson and Shelby County areas and surrounding communities, including Birmingham, Helena, Chelsea, Mountain Brook, Hoover, Homewood, Montevallo, Alabaster, Vestavia Hills, and Pelham, with over 30 years of servicing our valued clients. Offering full service suite of general remodeling, design and build services. Our specialties include bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodeling, exterior renovations, interior renovations, painting, and more!

Visit us at reliablerem.com, and like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!