Saylesville Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Spot the Symptoms

Indication that a Saylesville home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t difficult 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 Saylesville chimney’s exterior.

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

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

The underlying source in nearly every chimney issue 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 when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or failed mortar joints – are major warnings. Saylesville rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad situation far worse.

The first step is to confront root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner typically stops internal moisture problems. The harm to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is occasionally all that’s involved. 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 damaged 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 weakened, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond recovery, 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 Saylesville 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 features a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney beneath. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!

If you notice symptoms of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the problem … and the fix? 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!