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Mayfield Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Identify the Symptoms

Evidence that a Mayfield 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. Obvious gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – lining your Mayfield chimney’s exterior.

 

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

 

Each symptom might have a different source. Hesitating 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 Mayfield.

 

The underlying source in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the cause 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 problem can be far worse. Either way, problems start once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

 

Gaps in a chimney – from absent bricks, or failed mortar joints – are major warnings. Mayfield rains can directly penetrate 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, installing a stainless steel chimney liner typically stops internal moisture issues. The harm to the chimney remains, though.

 

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is occasionally all that’s required. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ standard 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 saving, 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 Mayfield 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 features a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

 

If you detect indicators of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the problem … 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 appear!

 

 

Chimney Inspections by Butler Chimneys near Mayfield, WI