Chimney Care Company's Blog
Chimney masonry and brick repair
Is the look of your chimney bringing down your home’s curb appeal and value? Over time, chimney masonry can deteriorate, causing your home to look old and in disrepair. On top of that, dilapidated chimney masonry can put your home at risk for water damage. The unsightly cracked and crumbling masonry can allow water to seep into your home through your chimney. If your chimney’s masonry is showing signs of wear, it’s time to address your deteriorating chimney masonry with masonry and brick repair. The chimney masonry experts at the Chimney Care Co. can help! We can restore your chimney with masonry and brick repair; we deal with common repairs, as well as will full-on chimney rebuilds to restore your chimney’s look and function.
Tuckpointing
Stones and bricks can last for decades. Often, the mortar that holds the bricks and stones together breaks down long before the bricks or stones. Crumbling chimney mortar looks unsightly and can degrade the look of your home. Crumbling masonry also opens up the opportunity for water to enter into the chimney. Over time, that water can further degrade the mortar and the masonry. If crumbling chimney mortar is let go for too long, it can even compromise the strength of your chimney structure. Fortunately, there is an easy fix for crumbling chimney mortar: Tuckpointing. Tuckpointing involves removing the old, softened chimney mortar and replacing it with a fresh coat of mortar. This restores the strength of the chimney and freshens its look.
Chimney crown repair
Like chimney mortar, the chimney crown often breaks down before other masonry materials. Chimney crowns will break down especially quickly if the crown was constructed from the wrong type of material, which happens more frequently than it should. Cracks in the chimney crown allow water to enter the top of your chimney. From there, it can damage your chimney flue or even seep into the surrounding layers of your home, causing mold or rot. Rebuilding your chimney crown can help protect your chimney and your home from water damage.
Full or partial chimney rebuilds
If water is allowed to damage chimney masonry for too long, the damage can become so severe that chimney reconstruction is in order. A part or all of your chimney might need to be reconstructed if the bricks, stones, and mortar have cracked and crumbled to form an unsightly and irreparable mess, or if they have degraded to the point that the chimney structure is no longer sound and poses a danger to the home.
Don’t let your damaged chimney masonry go unaddressed; call the chimney masonry experts at the Chimney Care Co.! We can assess your chimney’s masonry to determine what type of repair is needed, and we can repair your chimney’s masonry to restore the look and function of your chimney and to save your home’s curb appeal.
How to Know if You Have a Leaky Chimney
Spring rains, along with melting snow and ice, can lead to problems with your chimney — namely, chimney leaks. After a winter’s worth of freezing temperatures, high moisture, and high winds, your chimney can become weakened in a variety of ways that allow water to leak into your home through your chimney. If chimney leaks aren’t addressed quickly, they can lead to serious and expensive problems with your fireplace, your chimney, or even your home structure. To head off chimney leaks before they cause major problems, you should be looking out for the signs of a chimney leak this spring.
Water or rust in your firebox
After a major snow melt or heavy rain, you should take the time to inspect your firebox. Look for signs of moisture or puddles in the bottom of the firebox to be sure that water isn’t coming down the chimney flue. Also, keep your eye out for rust. Even if you don’t see water coming in through the chimney, check all of the metal chimney components, such as the fire grate, fireplace doors, and damper, for rust or warping that could indicate that water is seeping in through the chimney. Chunks of chimney tile at the bottom of the firebox also can indicate that a leak is damaging the interior of your chimney.
Water damage to interior walls or ceilings
When your walls and ceiling start to warp or stain, it’s obvious that water is getting into your home, but it can be difficult to pinpoint the damage. Many people fail to check the chimney for leaks, but the chimney is often to blame. Dark stains, peeling wallpaper, and wavy wallboard on the walls and ceilings near your chimney can indicate that water is leaking in and around the base of your chimney, or even through the chimney walls.
Discoloration on the exterior of the chimney
Staining on the outside of the chimney also can be a sign that your chimney is taking on water. If your chimney masonry shows black, white, or green staining, it’s an indication that the chimney masonry is absorbing and holding water. Rust stains down the side of a masonry or manufactured chimney can indicate that the chimney’s metal cap or chase cover is rusting away, which could allow water into your chimney.
Deterioration of the chimney masonry
After a winter of freezing and thawing temperatures, chimney masonry can begin to break down and let water into the chimney structure and your home. To keep your chimney and your home safe from water damage due to a leaking chimney, the exterior chimney structure should be examined each spring for crumbling mortar and cracked or deteriorating bricks or stone. Any signs of weakness should be inspected by a professional to ensure that water isn’t making its way into the chimney through cracks or holes in the chimney walls.
A leaky chimney is a serious issue that needs to be addressed before it jeopardizes the structure of your chimney or the structure of your home. Take the time this spring to look for the signs of a leaking chimney. If you notice signs that your chimney is leaking, be sure to call the Chimney Care Co. to have your chimney inspected by a professional before the problem gets worse.