West Milwaukee Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Difficult to Find the Symptoms

Indication that a West Milwaukee home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t difficult 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 – coating your West Milwaukee chimney’s exterior.

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

Each sign might have a different source. Hesitating to act isn’t wise, though. Problems can quickly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in West Milwaukee.

The commonality in almost every chimney problem is water. Often 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 situation can be far worse. Either way, problems start once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. West Milwaukee rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The first step is to address root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner usually stops internal moisture problems. 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 exist. 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 saving, a full or partial rebuild is in line. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your West Milwaukee 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 features 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 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!