Carrie Cowan Holder, Realtor at RE/MAX State Line

Leaky basement calls for thorough inspection Bill and Kevin Burnett Inman News Q: After a hard rain, we found water in our basement near where our chimney attaches to the house. We noticed that the caulking between the chimney and the house is dry and cracking. We also noticed that the basement's ceiling has water spots, which leads us to believe it has happened before. Is there a special caulk we can use after we remove the old material? And some of the mortar between the bricks is cracked. Our house is about 30 years old. A: A 30-year-old chimney needs a good inspection. You can do the inspection on the outside yourself. But we recommend that you get a chimney sweep for the inside. Over time, creosote, a byproduct of wood, builds up in the chimney liner. Creosote buildup is the main cause of chimney fires. If you use the fireplace regularly during the winter, an annual inspection and cleaning is a must. As for the chimney's exterior, get on a ladder and take a look. Pay speci...