Rockfield Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Warnings

Indication that a Rockfield home’s chimney requires 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. Evident gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Rockfield chimney’s exterior.

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

Each symptom might have a different source. Hesitating to act isn’t recommended, though. Complications can rapidly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Rockfield.

The commonality in nearly every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to escape 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 serious warnings. Rockfield rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The initial step is to confront root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, putting in a stainless steel chimney liner usually stops internal moisture problems. The harm 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 damaged chimney crown, two options are available. 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 recovery, 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 Rockfield 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 indicators 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 more (or worse) symptoms show up!