Mapleton Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Difficult to Spot the Warnings

Indication that a Mapleton 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. Evident gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – on your Mapleton chimney’s exterior.

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

Each symptom might have a different cause. Hesitating to act isn’t smart, though. Problems can rapidly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Mapleton.

The underlying source in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the cause 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 problem can be far worse. Either way, problems begin once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are major red flags. Mapleton rains can directly get inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation far worse.

The first step is to address root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing 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 required. 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” over 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 runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Mapleton 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 spot symptoms of a failing chimney, what’s the issue … 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 show up!