Lake Five Chimney Repairs Needed? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Symptoms

Indication that a Lake Five 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. Visible gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – lining your Lake Five chimney’s exterior.

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

Each sign might have a different cause. Hesitating to act isn’t advisable, though. Problems can quickly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Lake Five.

The common factor in nearly every chimney problem is water. Sometimes the cause is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to seep into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the issue can be far worse. Either way, problems ensue once moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or compromised mortar joints – are serious warnings. Lake Five rains can directly get inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation 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 damage 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, promising 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” over the chimney. Or, if the crown is too deteriorated, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond saving, 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 Lake Five 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 below. Your new chimney is as beautiful as it is functional!

If you identify 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!