West Haven Ct Chimney cap was missing lid , allowing water into fireplace , and the furnace liner was uncapped altogether. Replaced with a stainless steel multi-flue chim-cap.
Evidence was found of cracked and spaced out flue tiles, allowing byproducts of combustion to escape the flue prematurely, leading to a poorer draft, and thus more condensation and byproducts of combustion settling on the flue tiles, then mixing to create sulphuric acid and thus more deteorioration. Safeside Chimney installed a stainless steel double-wall liner.