Mayfield Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Find the Symptoms

Indication that a Mayfield home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t hard to identify.

Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Staining of remaining bricks in the structure. Obvious gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – on your Mayfield chimney’s exterior.

Inside a home, staining or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a red flag, too.

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

The underlying source in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which permit 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 when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious warnings. Mayfield rains can directly get 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 typically stops internal moisture issues. The damage to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is occasionally all that’s needed. 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 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 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 Mayfield 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 identify symptoms 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 appear!