Honest chimney repair for Lake Richmond homeowners

Tracing water from the top of the chimney down

Water runs downhill, so a leak investigation starts at the top and works down. BIA guidance on chimney construction shows how much of the design is about the top, from the cap and its drip to the flue liner and the flashing at the roof, and a failure high up can show as a stain well below it.

Order matters because water entering near the top can run down the faces and through the masonry before it appears. New flashing fitted under a cracked crown can leave the leak running, and the flashing takes the blame.

When several entry points fail at once, the highest one goes first. Chimneys in Lake Richmond get the same top-down check, and each entry point is priced on its own line so the order of the work is clear.

• The crown and any cap or screen above it
• The top of each flue liner and its joint with the crown
• Brick faces and mortar joints on every side
• Flashing where the chimney meets the roof, or siding on a framed chase

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

Vines and plants growing on the chimney

Ivy on a chimney can look settled and harmless, but its small shoots work into voids in the mortar and may carry moisture into them. BIA maintenance guidance lists plant growth among the things that can contribute to water getting into brickwork.

Removing it the wrong way does its own damage. The guidance says to cut vines away from the wall rather than pulling them off, which could damage the brick. The shoots left behind are allowed to dry and darken before they are brushed off with a stiff fiber brush and detergent, and chemicals or acids are not used on them.

Once the growth is gone, the joints underneath get a proper look, since BIA notes repointing may be necessary if the mortar cracks or deteriorates as the ivy comes off. Removal and any joint repair are priced as separate lines.

Splitting a long repair list into phases

An inspection on a neglected chimney can turn up a long list. Doing everything at once is not always possible, and it is not always necessary. The list can usually be split into phases without leaving the house at risk.

Some items cannot be split. Counterflashing is set into mortar joints, so repointing and flashing on the same face go together, and a new crown goes on after any rebuild of the courses below it, not before. The estimate marks which lines depend on each other, so the phases you pick still work as a sequence. Within those limits, the order usually runs like this.

• Safety first, such as loose masonry or a damaged flue
• Water entry next, at the crown, cap, flashing and joints
• Working parts after that, like the damper and cleanout
• Finish work last, such as cleaning and color matching