Glenn Oaks Beach Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Difficult to Identify the Symptoms

Indication that a Glenn Oaks Beach home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t difficult to spot.

Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Staining of remaining bricks in the structure. Visible gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – lining your Glenn Oaks Beach chimney’s exterior.

Inside a house, staining or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a warning, too.

Each indicator might have a different source. Hesitating to act isn’t smart, though. Complications can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Glenn Oaks Beach.

The underlying source in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to seep into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the problem can be far worse. Either way, problems begin once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious warnings. Glenn Oaks Beach rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The first step is to address root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner usually stops internal moisture issues. The damage to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is sometimes all that’s involved. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ standard five-year warranty, promising a decade of protection from the elements.

If the source of water leakage is a damaged chimney crown, two options exist. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, creating an “umbrella” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond restoration, a full or partial rebuild is in line. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Glenn Oaks Beach neighbors can expect scaffolding to be erected, or a temporary rooftop construction station built.

The chimney is reconstructed with fresh bricks and new mortar to building code height. Butler Chimneys works to match colors of new bricks to originals; bricks can be stained, if needed.

A new 5-inch-thick concrete crown is poured on top. The crown employs a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you detect symptoms of a failing chimney, what’s the problem … and the fix? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before additional (or worse) symptoms show up!