My furnace is damaged from water leaking down the chimney what kind of problems should I expect?

Question

when filing a claim with homeowners?

Answer 1

Total denial of the claim for starters. I see this all the time. They will not cover it because chimney caps- designed to prevent this are considered secondary and voluntary preventative measures. Without one you are fully liable for water damage in the flue and at its base.

Most of the time water damage like this causes corrosion of the chimney liner and perforation in the smoke pipe. If the boiler becomes saturated you will be in for a puff-back.

Now if there was a storm and a tree branch were to have knocked off the cap or broken the chimney somehow allowing water to enter then you may have a case.

Good-Luck

Answer 2

Dianosis of problems usually entails energizing the furnace and running it through it's sequence of operations. There could be one or many problems, but repairs are most generally cheaper than replacement. Replacement might be a consideration, however, if your furnace is an older, less-efficient model and if you live in a northern state.