Saint Lawrence Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Find the Symptoms

Indication that a Saint Lawrence home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t difficult to spot.

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 – on your Saint Lawrence chimney’s exterior.

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

Each indicator might have a different cause. Hesitating to act isn’t recommended, though. Issues can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Saint Lawrence.

The commonality in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the culprit 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 begin when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious warnings. Saint Lawrence rains can directly get 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, installing a stainless steel chimney liner generally stops internal moisture problems. 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’ normal five-year warranty, guaranteeing 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 recovery, a full or partial rebuild is in order. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Saint Lawrence 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 employs 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 indicators of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the problem … and the fix? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms show up!