Nabob Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Find the Symptoms

Evidence that a Nabob home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t difficult 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 Nabob chimney’s exterior.

Inside the home, 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. Problems can rapidly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Nabob.

The commonality in nearly every chimney problem is water. Often the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to enter into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the situation 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 red flags. Nabob rains can directly get 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, installing 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 occasionally all that’s required. 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, forming an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too weakened, 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 Nabob 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 employs 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 symptoms 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 appear!