Honest chimney repair for Robinswood homeowners

Reading cracks in chimney masonry

Cracks in a chimney fall into two very different groups. Hairline cracks in mortar joints and thin gaps where mortar has let go of the brick are maintenance items, and BIA guidance lists both among the conditions that call for repointing.

The second group looks different. Cracks that run through several bricks, cracks that climb in a stepped or diagonal line and masonry that has moved out of plane are conditions BIA maintenance guidance treats as structural. It says issues like these generally warrant an investigation by a professional engineer to find the cause and the right repair.

Filling a structural crack with mortar changes how it looks and does nothing about why it opened. When the first group turns up, it is priced as joint repair. When the second group turns up, the estimate says so in plain words and recommends an engineer's evaluation before any structural work is priced.

Chimney repairs and a new roof in the right order

If a new roof is coming, the chimney work should come first. Crown repairs, rebuilt courses, repointing and new counterflashing all happen at or above the roofline, and doing them after the roofers finish means working over and around brand new roofing at the base of the chimney.

Flashing is where the two jobs meet. The Florida Building Code requires flashing around roof openings, and at a chimney that means base flashing worked in with the roofing and counterflashing set into the masonry. Deciding who installs which layer before either trade starts keeps the laps in the right order and leaves no gap between them.

Mention the reroof at the free inspection. For homes in Robinswood, the estimate then puts the chimney work ahead of the roofing and says which flashing layer we install and which one belongs to the roofer.

Fireblocking where the chimney passes floors

The air space around a masonry chimney stops at each floor and ceiling it passes through. There the Florida Building Code requires fireblocking of noncombustible material, securely fastened, so flame and hot gases cannot travel up the gap. Between wood joists and the chimney it must be self-supporting or rest on strips of metal or metal lath.

The same code asks for fireblocking in concealed spaces of wood-framed walls at ceiling and floor levels, and around openings for vents, pipes and ducts. A framed wall or chase built around a chimney is that kind of concealed space.

Fireblocking can be missing, loose or made of wood or foam that does not belong at a chimney, and it tends to come to light only when a ceiling or wall is opened for some other reason. When a chimney wall or ceiling in your Robinswood home is opened for a repair, the fireblocking is checked, and restoring it in noncombustible material is priced on the estimate.

Same-day visits when the schedule allows

Same-day service is available when the schedule allows. A sudden leak around the chimney, a damper stuck open or a piece of masonry that has come loose are the problems where an early look helps most, because each one can get worse while it waits.

The first visit is for finding the cause and writing the estimate. No repair work goes ahead until you have approved that estimate, even when the fix turns out to be small, and homeowners in Robinswood see what the repair involves before anything starts.

When you get in touch, a clear description helps us plan the visit. These details cover most of it.

• What you see, where it is and when it started
• Whether it shows up only when it rains
• Whether the fireplace has been used since
• Roof access, gates and pets