Hi, after three days of heavy rain and lightning the peak shaped top of the brick chimney on my house fell into the chimney. It's still raining very hard. The hot water heater is the thing using the chimney. How do I go about getting this fixed? It's a end of group row house with the chimney on the alley side of the house. I've got a pretty good home owners insurance policy should I file a claim?
Thanks,
Mike
Call your agent and he can tell you about filing a claim. That is why he earns a commission on your policy. He'll be happy to assist you.
Look in the phone book for a chimney mason. Probably not a big deal to repair, but you want to be sure the rest of the chimney is OK. .
Your chimney was likely in poor condition for a quick fix try a chimney sweep, they can get the brick or whatrever out . Insurance will cover fast damage but not long term detoriation.
investigate a new direct vent hot water heater, they vent thru the wall and will probably be cheaper than rebuilding or lining your chimney
rebuilding chimneys cosat big bucks
The only thing venting to the chimney is the gas hot water heater. Not sure what kind of shape the chimney was in as it's a seventy y/o house that I'm rebuilding. What is fast damage? The house is not in great condition and I think the insurANCE comapny migfht start nosing around if they come to check out the chimney.
Mike
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Insurance covers stuff like in otherwise OK chimney lightning strikes and damagers it.......
Insurance doesnt cover a chimney thats in poor shape from age, any more than will they pay to rebuild your 10 year olds car transmssion after it dies.
You can buy a vent kit that fits most hot water tanks to power vent them thru a wall.
get a price on chimney repair but for a quick fast affordable back in service a power vent will likely cost less. check ww graingers web site i know they sell them.
if you invite insurance to visit it may cause all sorts of hassles, your chimney is bad, your roof needs replaced, the fromt sidewalk is in poor shape, uneven trip hazard.
get all these fixed in 90 days or your policy wouldnt be renewed.
this actually happened to some friends, their homeowners got cancelled, their mortage company put on forced place insurance on the structure only for 5 TIMES their original homeowners, they had a fire, cat knocked over lamp:( $120,000.00 damage to structure........
no coverage for possessions, or living expenses while their home was under construction
They lived with us for 7 months....
In their case the homepowner company sold out and the new one visited every customer being aquired. another friend, in the same situation HAD to have his home rewired, it had knob and tube...
with a 70 year old home you probably have some things insurance wouldnt like, and do you have depreciated or replacement insurance?
Verify that the chimney is still drafting. If it is blocked, the hot water heater will put off carbon monoxide into the house. Watch for symptoms of the flu. Headache, nausea, sleepy. Do this FIRST, then look into the repair.
I wouldnt bother with the home insurance. If you do a small claim they will drop you like a rock or crank your rates. Home insurance is only something you want to use if it burned down.
You have got to do the carbon monoxide check first. Go buy a $20 Co detector and plug it in next to your water heater to see if the CO is backing up. If the detector goes off shut down the water heater untill the repair is done.
If the chimney is expensive to fix go with a direct vent water heater and have the chimney capped and sealed. I went to a direct vent and i love it becasue it is cheaper to run. Next time i get my roof done i am having my chimney removed becasue I dont need it anymore.
German Jerry
It's a 70 y/o house w/ some problems. . . .
The dryer is vented through the wall so I understand.
I can see that happening.
Replacment insurance.
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Good points.
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