Pewaukee Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Warnings

Indication that a Pewaukee 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. Obvious gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Pewaukee chimney’s exterior.

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

Each sign might have a different source. Waiting 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 Pewaukee.

The commonality in almost every chimney issue is water. Often 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 ensue once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious warnings. Pewaukee rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The initial step is to address root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner generally stops internal moisture problems. The damage to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is sometimes all that’s involved. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ standard five-year warranty, promising 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, creating an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond recovery, a full or partial rebuild is in line. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Pewaukee 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 features a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you identify indicators of a failing chimney, what’s the issue … and the remedy? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms show up!