Ottawa Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Difficult to Find the Symptoms

Evidence that a Ottawa home’s chimney requires 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. Visible gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – on your Ottawa 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 recommended, though. Complications can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Ottawa.

The underlying reason in almost every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to seep 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 missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are major red flags. Ottawa rains can directly leak 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, putting in a stainless steel chimney liner typically 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’ regular 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 weakened, 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 Ottawa 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 uses a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as attractive 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 tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms appear!