Hales Corners Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Difficult to Spot the Warnings

Indication that a Hales Corners home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t hard to identify.

Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Discoloration of remaining bricks in the structure. Evident gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – lining your Hales Corners chimney’s exterior.

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

Each indicator might have a different cause. Waiting to act isn’t recommended, though. Complications can quickly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Hales Corners.

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

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious warnings. Hales Corners rains can directly penetrate inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

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

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is sometimes all that’s needed. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ regular 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” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too weakened, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond restoration, 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 Hales Corners neighbors can expect scaffolding to be erected, 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 employs a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney below. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!

If you detect symptoms of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the problem … 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 show up!