My quick fireplace seal job almost led to a big problem

I decided to close off my fireplace for the warm months with some sealant from the store. It seemed like an easy weekend project, you know, to keep drafts out. But the stuff I used wasn't right for chimneys and started to flake inside. My buddy who sweeps chimneys said it could have trapped moisture and caused rust or worse blockage. Always double-check with a pro before doing any kind of chimney cover-up.

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3 Comments

marknelson7mo ago

Yikes, I did the same thing with the wrong foam once.

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michael_bennett117mo ago

Was it the expanding kind that goes everywhere? My friend grabbed the wrong can for a door draft... thought it was minimal expand but it wasn't. That stuff puffed up like crazy and leaked all over the trim. He spent hours scraping it off the wood grain... left a nasty residue too. Pretty sure he just lives with the cold spot now.

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jamie1307mo ago

Actually that expanding foam is way better than the minimal stuff. The big mess means you got a perfect seal with no gaps at all. My neighbor in Toledo used the low expansion kind and had to redo his whole window frame twice because of cold air leaks. A little cleanup is worth a job that lasts.

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