Greenfield Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Find the Warnings
Proof that a Greenfield 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. Obvious gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Greenfield chimney’s exterior.
Inside the house, staining or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a red flag, too.
Each symptom might have a different source. Waiting to act isn’t wise, though. Issues can quickly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Greenfield.
The underlying source in almost every chimney issue 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 problem can be far worse. Either way, problems start once moisture has direct contact with masonry.
Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are major warnings. Greenfield rains can directly penetrate inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation 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 damage to the chimney remains, though.
Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is occasionally all that’s involved. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ normal five-year warranty, guaranteeing 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 weakened, 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 Greenfield 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 uses a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!
If you identify symptoms of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the issue … and the fix? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can find the answers. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before additional (or worse) symptoms appear!