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

Proof that a Edgewood home’s chimney requires 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. Obvious gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Edgewood chimney’s exterior.

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

Each sign might have a different source. 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 Edgewood.

The common factor in almost every chimney issue is water. Often the culprit 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 once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious red flags. Edgewood 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 typically 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 deteriorated, 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 Edgewood neighbors can expect scaffolding to be erected, 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 below. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you spot symptoms of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the issue … 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 appear!