Okauchee Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Find the Symptoms

Proof that a Okauchee home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t hard to find.

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 – coating your Okauchee chimney’s exterior.

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

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

The underlying reason in nearly every chimney problem is water. Often the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to escape into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the situation can be far worse. Either way, problems start once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are major warnings. Okauchee 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 occasionally all that’s required. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ normal five-year warranty, promising a decade of protection from the elements.

If the source of water leakage is a damaged chimney crown, two options are available. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, creating an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too damaged, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond restoration, 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 Okauchee 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 beneath. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!

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