Chimney Repair
Chimneys are very complicated to repair and maintain. Patching the damaged areas of a chimney is usually only a temporary solution. If the proper restoration is not performed, the chimney is left vulnerable to several hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars of future repair costs. It is not only critical to know how to fix the current problem, but to understand how it occurred, and to protect the rest of the chimney structure from future complications.
Often, chimney leaks can come from cracks in the chimney crown, flashing, deteriorated mortar joints, and/or moisture penetration through the pores of the bricks and mortar. Other variables that cause these problems to occur can be linked to the age of the chimney, the material used to build the chimney, and craftsmanship.
Applying caulking or silicon over damaged mortar joints, rather than proper masonry Tuckpointing, is not only an improper repair method, but it also creates further deterioration by trapping moisture in the masonry behind the mortar. Any caulking or silicon should be removed from the chimney and replaced with proper breathable masonry material to allow moisture trapped within the masonry to evaporate evenly, rather than being trapped in certain areas.
Get a Free Estimate