Chimney repair for homes in Crown Point

Rust streaks running down the chimney

Orange or brown streaks down a chimney come from steel above them. They start under a rusting cap, a spark screen, a metal chase top or another steel part at the top, and they grow each time rain runs over the metal.

Rust on a part at the top of a chimney means that part is not standing up to the water it sees. BIA guidance says a metal rain cap should be corrosion resistant, and flashing is expected to be corrosion-resistant sheet metal for the same reason. A part that rusts through lets water in as well as staining the brick.

The fix starts at the source. Each streak is traced up to the part that made it, that part is replaced with corrosion-resistant metal and the stain is treated as a cleaning item for after the repair. On homes in Crown Point, the estimate names the rusting part first and the stain second.

Cleaning a brick chimney without damaging it

Cleaning brick can do more harm than the dirt it removes. BIA guidance on cleaning brickwork says to select the gentlest effective method and to try it first on a small, out-of-sight area before cleaning the whole surface.

The method is matched to the brick. BIA recommends following the brick maker's cleaning procedure where there is one and trying a bucket and brush or pressurized water before chemical cleaners. Windows, trim and metal nearby are protected, since many cleaning agents, acids in particular, attack metal.

The trial area also shows what to expect, since some cleaning methods change the look of the brick. The estimate names the cleaning method and the test area, and it lists cleaning as a separate line from any repair.

• Abrasive blasting and high-pressure water can etch joints and strip the brick face
• Steel bristle brushes can leave particles that rust
• Improperly mixed or strong acid can etch brick and dissolve mortar

Branches rubbing or hanging over the chimney

A limb that touches a chimney moves every time the tree does. Over time it scrapes mortar joints and brick faces, bends or loosens a metal cap and wears the finish on a chase. Leaves and twigs dropped from above collect on the crown and against the cap screen.

A clogged screen slows the smoke leaving the flue, and overhanging limbs give squirrels and other animals an easy route to the top. Leaves packed against the crown also hold water on the one surface that is meant to shed it.

Trimming comes first, by whoever looks after your trees, so the chimney is not repaired and then scraped again. Once the branches are back, our crew in Crown Point clears the top, checks what the rubbing did to joints, cap and flashing, and prices only the repairs that are needed.

Chimney repairs before you sell

Chimney findings that surface during a buyer's inspection arrive late, when there is little time left to get quotes and the price is already being negotiated. Few repair decisions are made well under that kind of deadline.

Having the chimney looked at before listing replaces guesses with specifics. You learn which repairs affect safety or water entry and which are cosmetic. Then you decide what to fix and what to disclose, with your agent and, where it matters, your attorney. We give no legal advice on disclosure.

The free inspection comes with a written estimate that lists each component and its repair separately. Homeowners in Crown Point can share that estimate with buyers as it stands, fix everything on it, or fix the safety items and let the rest be priced into the sale. Either way, the buyer sees named components instead of a vague warning.