Brookfield Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Find the Warnings
Indication that a Brookfield 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 Brookfield chimney’s exterior.
Inside a home, staining or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a warning, too.
Each indicator might have a different source. Waiting to act isn’t recommended, though. Problems can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Brookfield.
The commonality in almost every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which permit moisture to escape into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the issue can be far worse. Either way, problems begin when moisture has direct contact with masonry.
Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are major warnings. Brookfield rains can directly penetrate 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, installing a stainless steel chimney liner generally stops internal moisture issues. The harm 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 are available. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, forming an “umbrella” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too damaged, a new one is poured.
If a chimney is beyond restoration, 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 Brookfield neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, 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 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 more (or worse) symptoms appear!