Glenn Oaks Beach Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Find the Symptoms

Evidence that a Glenn Oaks Beach home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t difficult to identify.

Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Discoloration of remaining bricks in the structure. Obvious gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Glenn Oaks Beach chimney’s exterior.

Inside a house, staining or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a red flag, too.

Each indicator might have a different source. Waiting to act isn’t advisable, though. Problems can rapidly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Glenn Oaks Beach.

The commonality in almost every chimney issue is water. Often the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to seep into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the issue can be far worse. Either way, problems start when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious warnings. Glenn Oaks Beach rains can directly get inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation far worse.

The first step is to confront root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, putting in a stainless steel chimney liner typically stops internal moisture problems. The damage to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is sometimes all that’s involved. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ standard five-year warranty, guaranteeing a decade of protection from the elements.

If the source of water leakage is a damaged chimney crown, two options are available. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, forming an “umbrella” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too weakened, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond saving, a full or partial rebuild is in order. A masonry project takes three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Glenn Oaks Beach neighbors can expect scaffolding to be erected, or a temporary rooftop construction station built.

The chimney is reconstructed with fresh bricks and new mortar to building code height. Butler Chimneys works to match colors of new bricks to originals; bricks can be stained, if needed.

A new 5-inch-thick concrete crown is poured on top. The crown employs a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you notice indicators of a failing chimney, what’s the problem … and the fix? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms appear!