The Torrance air and your chimney repair
Inland Torrance sees less fog than the beach, but Santa Ana days bring dry gusts from the northeast that can reverse the draft in a low chimney. Winter rain slips past old flashing and soaks the brick, which then smells musty once the furnace runs. Keeping water out takes a cap and a sound crown. On a typical Ramsey visit that means water entry traced with a hose test, cracked crown patched or recast, and loose top courses reset in fresh mortar, with the order set by what the smoke test shows rather than a fixed list.
