Menomonee Falls Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Find the Warnings

Proof that a Menomonee Falls home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t difficult to find.

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 – on your Menomonee Falls chimney’s exterior.

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

Each indicator might have a different source. Waiting to act isn’t advisable, though. Issues can rapidly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Menomonee Falls.

The underlying source in nearly every chimney issue is water. Sometimes 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 ensue once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious red flags. Menomonee Falls rains can directly penetrate inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation 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 issues. The damage 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 exist. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, creating an “umbrella” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too damaged, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond recovery, 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 Menomonee Falls 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 features a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney below. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you detect indicators of a deteriorating 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!