Oakwood Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Warnings

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

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 – coating your Oakwood chimney’s exterior.

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

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

The underlying source in nearly every chimney issue is water. Often the culprit 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 once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. Oakwood rains can directly get inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario 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 typically stops internal moisture issues. 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’ normal five-year warranty, guaranteeing a decade of protection from the elements.

If the source of water leakage is a cracked chimney crown, two options exist. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, forming an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, 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 Oakwood 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 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 spot symptoms of a failing chimney, what’s the issue … and the fix? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can find the answers. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before additional (or worse) symptoms appear!