Full chimney rebuild and reconstruction in Sulphur Springs

Mortar that holds the flue tiles together

Flue tile joints face heat and flue gases as well as rain. The code wants clay liners set in a medium-duty refractory mortar that is water-insoluble and meets ASTM C199, with the joints kept tight and smooth on the inside. Ordinary building mortar in a flue joint can break down over time and leave a gap nobody sees from the room.

BIA's chimney guidance likewise recommends fireclay mortars for bedding flue liners because they perform better at high temperatures.

We keep the two mortars separate on the job, one for the liners and one for the brick, so the right one goes in each joint.

Tying the rebuilt chimney to the house

A chimney built against an outside wall is held to it with ties. On single-wythe chimneys, BIA's details space corrosion-resistant metal ties no more than 24 inches apart.

A rebuild replaces ties that were lost with the old brick, and adds them where they were missing. Ties are set into the mortar joints as the courses rise, so they become part of the wall rather than an afterthought.

Our crew sets new ties as the courses go up and checks that the rebuilt section is anchored to the structure.

Reusing the original brick

Sound original brick can sometimes be cleaned and relaid, which helps the rebuilt section match the rest of the house.

Brick that is cracked, spalled or soft is set aside, because putting damaged brick back at the most exposed part of the chimney invites the same failure. Cleaning old mortar off salvaged brick is slow work, so the estimate shows how it is priced.

Where salvage is realistic, we explain how much of the old brick is likely to be usable and how the shortfall will be made up.

Questions to ask before choosing a rebuild quote

Put the same questions to every contractor who quotes the rebuild, including us. The answers show whether the quotes describe the same job.

• Where does the removal stop, and how was that line chosen?
• What happens if the brick below the line is weaker than expected?
• Which brick grade and mortar type will be used?
• How will the flue be lined in the rebuilt section?
• What crown, cap and flashing are included?
• What will the finished height be, and does it meet the code?