Chimney brick replacement for Progress Village homes

Finding the water before replacing the bricks

Bricks spall when water gets into them and something drives the face off, such as salts crystallizing inside the brick or a mortar that will not let the masonry dry. Replacing the damaged bricks without finding that water leaves the new units exposed to the same conditions.

The Brick Industry Association advises investigating moisture sources before repairs. On a chimney we look at the crown or cap, the flashing, the joints, any coating and the way water runs off the roof around it.

The estimate names the water path we find alongside the brick replacement, so the repair fixes the cause as well as the result.

Removing a failed brick without damaging its neighbors

The bricks around a damaged unit are worth keeping, so removal has to protect them. The Brick Industry Association describes breaking the damaged brick to make removal easier, then carefully cutting and chiseling out the surrounding mortar without harming the adjacent units.

Forcing a whole brick out, or cutting carelessly, can crack the bricks next to it and turn one replacement into several. We work slowly at the edges of each opening for that reason.

If a neighboring brick turns out to be loose or cracked once the damaged one is out, we show you before adding it to the repair.

How repointing mortar is prepared

Mortar for the joints around replaced bricks is mixed differently from ordinary mortar. BIA describes prehydrating it, which means mixing the dry ingredients, adding just enough water for a damp mix that holds its shape, and letting it rest for an hour to an hour and a half before the rest of the water goes in.

Prehydration reduces shrinkage, which helps the new joints stay tight against the brick. It is one of several small steps that separate a lasting repair from a quick patch.

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.