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

Proof that a Wayne home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t difficult to spot.

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

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

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

The underlying source in nearly every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to seep into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the problem can be far worse. Either way, problems start when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or failed mortar joints – are major red flags. Wayne rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The first step is to confront root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, putting in a stainless steel chimney liner generally 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’ normal five-year warranty, promising 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, forming an “umbrella” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too weakened, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond restoration, 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 Wayne 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 attractive as it is functional!

If you identify symptoms of a failing chimney, what’s the problem … and the fix? 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!