Family-owned chimney masonry repair in Fullers

Signs that point past routine masonry repair

Brick Industry Association Technical Note 46 lists conditions that are structural rather than routine maintenance, and says they generally warrant investigation by a professional engineer.

When we see any of them, we tell you before quoting a repair, because patching a crack that is caused by movement tends to crack again.

• Cracks wider than about 0.075 inch, or 2 mm
• Cracks that pass through several bricks
• Cracks that follow a stepped or diagonal pattern
• Widespread spalled brick
• Masonry that has moved out of plane

How the brick itself affects the repair

Brick properties, especially the initial rate of absorption, affect how well mortar bonds. Brick that drinks water quickly can pull moisture out of fresh mortar before it bonds, while dense brick absorbs little.

We look at how your brick behaves when wetted before choosing how to prepare the joints. It is a quick check that changes how the work is done, even when the mortar type stays the same. On a hot, dry day, highly absorbent brick may need dampening more than once to keep it from drawing water out of the new mortar.

Masonry above and below the roofline

The chimney above the roof stands in the weather on every side, while the part below sits against or inside the house. Damage tends to differ, and so does access.

Above the roof, we work from roof access and protect the roofing. Below it, the work may be reached from ladders or scaffolding outside, or be visible only from the attic. We plan each part separately and explain how access affects the scope and schedule. Cracks that appear both in the attic and above the roof are especially worth tracing, since they may be one crack running the full height.

Open joints where the chimney meets the roof

The joints just above the roofline sit where roof water runs against the chimney and where flashing is often let into the masonry. Open joints there are a direct path for water into the house.

We repair them carefully around the flashing, taking care not to damage it, and recommend any flashing work as a separate item. The two repairs are best done together when the flashing is due as well. Stains on a ceiling or wall next to the chimney often lead back to this area, so we look here first when a leak is part of the story.