Sauk Trail Beach Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Difficult to Find the Warnings

Proof that a Sauk Trail Beach home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t hard to identify.

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

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

Each sign might have a different source. Hesitating to act isn’t smart, though. Complications can rapidly worsen. The initial step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Sauk Trail Beach.

The underlying reason in almost every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to escape into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the situation can be far worse. Either way, problems begin once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. Sauk Trail Beach rains can directly penetrate inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation 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 usually stops internal moisture issues. The harm to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is sometimes all that’s required. 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 cracked chimney crown, two options are available. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, creating 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 order. A masonry project takes three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Sauk Trail Beach 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 uses 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 issue … and the remedy? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can tell. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before additional (or worse) symptoms show up!