Although masonry chimneys are built to last a lifetime, damage can occur over the years that needs to be repaired so that the chimney will work safely and efficiently again. While you may think that any chimney technician can repair chimney masonry work, you need one who is also an experienced mason to get the best repair job possible. Additionally, you need a mason who understands chimney construction. Ashbusters is proud to provide chimney masonry repair services from our experienced and certified chimney technicians. In addition to repair and rebuilding services, we can also construct new chimneys, including ones for outdoor kitchens and fireplaces. We would like to tell you more about why you might need our repair services and what the typical chimney masonry repairs involve.
What is the main cause of damage to masonry chimneys?
As the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) warns, water is the biggest enemy of masonry chimneys. The bricks and mortar in your chimney naturally absorb water from rain, ice, and snow, and this water can be trapped within the masonry materials. The largest amount of masonry damage occurs in the winter. Whenever the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the trapped water freezes and expands within the bricks and mortar. As the weather warms back up, this water thaws, and its force can cause the masonry materials to crack and break apart. After repeated freeze/thaw cycles, you can end up with a chimney with loose and missing bricks. If this damage is neglected, the structure of your chimney may be jeopardized and could even collapse. Not only that, but the gaps and holes left from missing bricks and mortar joints allow even more water to leak into your chimney. Spring is a great time to have Ashbusters inspect your chimney and repair any winter-related damage to keep water out of your chimney during the spring and summer months.
What are some typical chimney masonry repairs?
When Ashbusters repairs damaged masonry, we use an age-old technique called tuckpointing. Our masons will tuck new mortar in between new bricks with specialized tools. We take great care to ensure the new bricks and mortar matches your old masonry materials in color and composition. We use tuckpointing not only to repair winter-related chimney masonry damage, but we also use this technique to restore old chimneys and to rebuild chimneys that have been severely damaged over time. You can trust us to make it look like no work has been done because there is nothing worse than a patch-up masonry repair that looks obviously different from the rest of the chimney. Our CSIA-certified chimney technicians are also skilled and experienced in constructing new masonry chimneys, including ones for outdoor kitchens and fireplaces.
Have you noticed cracked, loose, or missing bricks from your chimney this spring? Contact us at Ashbusters to schedule a chimney inspection to have this masonry damaged as soon as possible to prevent further deterioration.