Spalling brick repair for chimneys in Bloomingdale

Water entering at the top of the chimney

The top of a masonry chimney is its first line of defense. Florida's residential code calls for that top to be a cap of concrete, metal or stone, finished with a drip edge and with a caulked bond break wherever a flue liner passes through.

When that cap or crown cracks, lacks a drip edge or has lost its seal at the flue, water can run down into the upper courses of brick. Those bricks may then spall or loosen first.

Where the brick damage is concentrated near the top, we inspect the crown closely and explain any crown repair on its own line of the estimate.

Safety around a chimney that is shedding brick

A chimney that is dropping pieces can drop larger ones. Keep people and pets away from the area directly below it, particularly doorways, walkways and patios, until the loose material is dealt with.

Do not climb onto the roof to pull at loose bricks or knock off hanging pieces. Brick that looks loose from the ground may be more or less secure than it appears.

Tell us about entrances and outdoor areas below the chimney when you call, so the work can be planned with protection in place.

If a piece falls onto the roof, leave it where it is and mention it when you call.

Scheduling brick work around heat and sun

Fresh mortar needs time to cure, and drying too fast weakens it. According to the National Park Service, keeping the wall between 40 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit guards against freezing and against water leaving too quickly, and repointing is best done in shade, out of strong sunlight, particularly in hot weather.

We plan brick and joint work with that in mind, working in shade where we can and protecting fresh work from direct sun and rain. That can mean scheduling one face of the chimney for a particular time of day.

Brick under stucco or a mortar coating

Some chimneys have a coat of stucco or a thin mortar coating over the brick. Damage there shows as cracked, hollow-sounding or detached coating rather than flaking brick faces, and the repair follows the coating system.

Where the coating has failed and the brick behind it is also damaged, we explain both parts. Stucco repair and brick replacement are priced separately so the scope stays clear.