Slabtown Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Symptoms
Proof that a Slabtown home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t hard to spot.
Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Discoloration of remaining bricks in the structure. Visible gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – lining your Slabtown chimney’s exterior.
Inside the house, discoloration or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a warning, too.
Each sign might have a different source. Waiting to act isn’t wise, though. Complications can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Slabtown.
The underlying reason in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to enter 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 compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. Slabtown rains can directly get 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 issues. The damage 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 weakened, a new one is poured.
If a chimney is beyond restoration, a full or partial rebuild is in line. A masonry project takes three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Slabtown neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, 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 uses a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!
If you spot indicators of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the problem … and the remedy? 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!