Brick chimney repair from local pros in Mount Plymouth Lakes
Mortar chosen for your existing masonry, not the strongest bag on the shelf. Chimney masonry experts serving Mount Plymouth Lakes.
- Licensed & insured
- Locally run
- Family owned and operated
- Same-day service available
The written masonry scope for your Mount Plymouth Lakes home
Brick and mortar show their own history. These are the parts of it we write down in Mount Plymouth Lakes.
- Mortar type named for the existing masonry
- Removal of old caulk, patches and loose mortar
- Water sources feeding the damage
- Curing and weather planning for fresh mortar
Brick and mortar facts our masons share in Mount Plymouth Lakes
Notes from our Mount Plymouth Lakes masonry crew, tied to brick industry guidance and the code.
Stepped cracks along the mortar joints
A crack that climbs the chimney in steps, following the bed and head joints, is one of the patterns brick industry guidance lists as possibly structural. It often means one part of the masonry has moved relative to another.
We check whether the faces on either side of the crack are still flush or have shifted, and whether the crack continues into the house wall or the chimney base. Repointing a stepped crack can be part of the answer, but only after the movement behind it is understood.
Why repointing skill matters
Technical Note 46 makes a point worth repeating. An excellent mason may not be a qualified repointing craftsperson, and the potential for power tools to damage the surrounding brick should be weighed before work starts.
Repointing is slow, careful work at the edges of old brick. On chimneys it is done on a roof, around flashing and close to the flue. We plan the tools for each part of the job and slow down where the brick is soft or the joints are thin.
The base and footing of the chimney
The bottom of an exterior chimney sits on a footing, and problems there show higher up as cracks or lean. Damp soil, poor drainage or plants against the base keep the lowest courses wet.
We look at the base as well as the top, noting cracks near grade, gaps from the wall and signs of settling. Movement at the base is a structural question, and we tell you when it calls for an engineer rather than a masonry repair.
Fresh mortar in strong sun
Strong sun and warm masonry pull water out of fresh mortar quickly. If it dries before it cures, the joint can end up weak and powdery at the surface.
We dampen the masonry appropriately before placing mortar, work in sections sized to the conditions and protect fresh joints from drying out too fast. On a hot day that can mean starting early or shading the work. Brick industry technical notes cover hot weather construction for exactly this reason, and we follow the same thinking on every roof we work on.
Other work in Mount Plymouth Lakes
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Learn more about chimney masonry repairMount Plymouth Lakes services
Related chimney masonry work
What people in Mount Plymouth Lakes ask about chimney cracks
Answers on cracks, mortar and brick from our Mount Plymouth Lakes masons. Ask us anything else.
Can I use the fireplace while masonry repairs are pending?
That depends on what we find. Loose masonry at the top or open joints near the flue are reasons to wait. After the inspection, we tell you plainly whether it is safe to keep using the fireplace until the repair is done.
Is your chimney masonry work guaranteed?
Yes. Masonry we repair is covered by our workmanship warranty, and if you are not satisfied, our 100% satisfaction guarantee has us back to make it right.
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