Ozaukee County Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Warnings
Indication that a Ozaukee County home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t difficult 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 Ozaukee County chimney’s exterior.
Inside the house, discoloration or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a red flag, too.
Each sign might have a different cause. Waiting to act isn’t recommended, though. Issues can rapidly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Ozaukee County.
The commonality in nearly every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which permit 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 missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious red flags. Ozaukee County rains can directly get 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 issues. The damage to the chimney remains, though.
Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is sometimes all that’s involved. 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 damaged, a new one is poured.
If a chimney is beyond saving, 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 Ozaukee County neighbors can expect scaffolding to be erected, 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 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 find the answers. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before additional (or worse) symptoms appear!