Chenequa Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Difficult to Find the Warnings

Indication that a Chenequa home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t hard 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 – on your Chenequa chimney’s exterior.

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

Each indicator might have a different source. Hesitating to act isn’t advisable, though. Complications can quickly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Chenequa.

The underlying source in nearly every chimney issue is water. Often the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which permit moisture to enter into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the problem 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 major warnings. Chenequa 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 generally stops internal moisture problems. 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’ regular 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, creating an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond restoration, 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 Chenequa 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 employs 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 symptoms of a failing chimney, what’s the problem … 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 appear!