Cudahy Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Find the Warnings

Indication that a Cudahy home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t hard to find.

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 Cudahy chimney’s exterior.

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

Each symptom might have a different cause. Waiting to act isn’t advisable, though. Problems can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Cudahy.

The underlying source in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the culprit 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 situation can be far worse. Either way, problems ensue once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are major warnings. Cudahy rains can directly penetrate inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The initial step is to address root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner generally stops internal moisture issues. 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’ regular five-year warranty, guaranteeing 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” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond recovery, 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 Cudahy neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, 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 below. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

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