Durhamswood Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Difficult to Identify the Warnings

Evidence that a Durhamswood 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. Evident gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Durhamswood chimney’s exterior.

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

Each sign might have a different cause. 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 Durhamswood.

The underlying reason in almost every chimney issue is water. Sometimes 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 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 major red flags. Durhamswood 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 usually 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 cracked chimney crown, two options exist. 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 saving, 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 Durhamswood neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, 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 features a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney below. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!

If you notice indicators of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the issue … and the remedy? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms appear!