Chimney masonry repair for Bloomingdale homes

Chimney masonry above the roof and below it

The section above the roof takes rain from every side and dries in the sun, so it usually shows wear first. The section below the roofline, on an outside wall or inside the house, is more sheltered but can hide water damage coming from above.

Repairs above the roof deal with weather. Repairs below it often deal with the results of water that got in higher up. Stains on an inside wall beside the chimney often trace back to a joint or crown several feet higher.

Our inspection covers both, and the estimate says which part of the chimney each repair belongs to.

Preparing joints to take new mortar

New mortar bonds poorly to dusty, dry joints. The National Park Service wants the joint surfaces moist but free of standing water at the moment the mortar is packed in.

Debris is cleared out first, and thin slivers of old mortar left on the brick edges are removed so the new mortar grips the brick directly. Too much water is its own problem, because a puddle in the joint thins the new mortar at the face, so the timing of the wetting matters.

Those preparation steps take time, and they are part of why a careful repair outlasts a quick one.

When repair turns into rebuilding

Masonry repair works while most of the chimney is sound. When loose courses, cracked brick and failed joints run through a whole section, taking that section down and relaying it can be the more durable choice.

The line is not the size of the crack. It is how much sound masonry remains to tie the repair into. A section that keeps needing patches every few years is another sign the line has been crossed.

We show you where that line falls on your chimney and price both options when both are realistic.

What your chimney masonry estimate should show

A masonry estimate is easier to trust when it answers specific questions about the work. Ask any contractor, including us, to spell these out.

• Which areas of the chimney will be repaired, and which are sound?
• Which bricks will be replaced, and which joints repointed?
• Which mortar type will be used, and why?
• How deep will old mortar be removed?
• How will the joints be finished, and how will the color be matched?
• What is being done about the crown, the flashing and the water source?