Hebron Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Difficult to Find the Warnings

Proof that a Hebron home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t hard to spot.

Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Staining of remaining bricks in the structure. Noticeable gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Hebron chimney’s exterior.

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

Each sign might have a different cause. Hesitating to act isn’t advisable, though. Problems can rapidly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Hebron.

The underlying reason in nearly every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the culprit 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 problem can be far worse. Either way, problems begin when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. Hebron rains can directly get inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The initial step is to address root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, putting in a stainless steel chimney liner generally 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, promising 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” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too damaged, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond recovery, a full or partial rebuild is in line. A masonry project takes three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Hebron neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, or a temporary rooftop construction station built.

The chimney is rebuilt 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 features a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney below. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you identify symptoms 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 additional (or worse) symptoms appear!