Slabtown Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Warnings

Evidence that a Slabtown home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t hard to identify.

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

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

Each sign might have a different cause. Hesitating to act isn’t recommended, though. Problems can rapidly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Slabtown.

The underlying source in nearly every chimney issue is water. Often the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which permit moisture to seep into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the situation can be far worse. Either way, problems ensue when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious red flags. Slabtown rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The initial step is to confront root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner generally stops internal moisture problems. The harm to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is occasionally all that’s required. 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 cracked chimney crown, two options are available. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, forming an “umbrella” above 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 order. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Slabtown neighbors can expect scaffolding to be erected, or a temporary rooftop construction station built.

The chimney is rebuilt 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 below. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!

If you notice indicators 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 appear!