Watertown Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Warnings

Evidence that a Watertown home’s chimney needs repairs isn’t hard to find.

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

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

Each symptom might have a different cause. Hesitating to act isn’t recommended, though. Issues can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Watertown.

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

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. Watertown rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation far worse.

The first 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 harm to the chimney remains, though.

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

If the source of water leakage is a damaged chimney crown, two options exist. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, creating an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond restoration, a full or partial rebuild is in line. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Watertown neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, 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 attractive as it is functional!

If you detect symptoms of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the issue … and the remedy? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can find the answers. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms appear!