Chimneys are an essential part of properties nowadays irrespective of their style. The most common chimneys used are masonry chimneys. These require different repair works from time to time.
The most common causes of masonry chimney repair are water damage, poor quality, negligence, and harsh weather elements. Other than the repairs, a chimney sweep at least bi-annually is essential.
This sweep gets rid of accumulated creosote in your chimneys and guarantees that there is no contamination of your indoor air by soot, and creosote. In Connecticut (CT), a chimney sweep and restoration service can be the one thing that gets your chimney sparkling and restores the chimney into its best shape.
These services should only be handled by an experienced mason to avoid issues that will compromise the integrity of your chimneys. The following are the standard components of a professional chimney restoration service.
Masonry Repair
Once bricks and mortar joints start deteriorating and eroding, your whole chimney is jeopardized. This results in an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, fire hazards and a compromised performance of your chimney.
Different services are included in masonry chimney repair including tuck pointing, repointing, fireplace rebuilds, and firebox repair. Repointing involves repair of your chimney’s mortar joints by filling the holes and gaps resulting from water penetration. Tuckpointing is the replacement of run-down mortar with a new one.
Smoke Chamber Parging and Repair
Your smoke chamber channels the byproducts of combustion up the flue and averts the transfer of heat into the walls near your fireplace. This chamber however erodes and cracks over time more so when exposed to moisture and creosote.
There are specialized tools used to parge your smoke chamber by filling the cracks, sealing gaps and reshaping the chamber for a smooth, safe and optimally performing fireplace.
Chimney Liner Replacement and Repair
Most fireplace issues are traced to installed and sized chimneys or missing chimney liners poorly. Your chimney’s liner, unfortunately, deteriorates over time, and its periodic re-lining is essential.
Most chimney liners have an extended warranty, and you can use this for your re-lining work. Fortunately, it is not an expensive service, and you can comfortably pay for it without a warranty.
Crown Rebuilding
Your chimney’s crown is the cement slab which tops it. It is prone to various elements that contribute to its deterioration and cracking and contribute to water damage in your property.
If your chimney crown has extensively lost its structural integrity, a crown rebuilding is essential to avert further damage. In some cases, a simple crown sealing might be the solution.
Most of the common chimney problems are not readily evident. To this end, routine chimney inspections are essential to picking issues before they become extensive and compromise your property occupants’ safety. The inspections are often carried out by professionals during your chimney sweep.
The experts will afterward give you a written assessment of their findings for future reference if there are no issues. The inspection will also form the basis of your repair price estimate if there are any problems.
