Indication that a Oakwood 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. Noticeable gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – lining your Oakwood chimney’s exterior.
Inside the home, discoloration or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a warning, too.
Each symptom might have a different cause. Waiting to act isn’t wise, though. Issues can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Oakwood.
The underlying reason in almost every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the cause 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 issue can be far worse. Either way, problems begin when moisture has direct contact with masonry.
Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious red flags. Oakwood 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 typically stops internal moisture issues. The harm 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’ regular 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 recovery, a full or partial rebuild is in order. A masonry project takes three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Oakwood 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 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 detect symptoms of a failing 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 more (or worse) symptoms appear!