About This Masonry Project
We here at Capital Chimney are full service chimney contractors and that includes all forms of masonry restoration. This home had two masonry chimney stacks in need of desperate repair. The first chimney shown is a masonry fireplace chimney. This chimney had several cracks in the concrete crown; this allowed moisture to enter into the brickwork below. Most masonry structures are porous and will absorb this moisture. Due to the lovely climate we have here in the Midwest this moisture will freeze in the winter. This freezing (and subsequent thawing) caused repeated expansion and contraction, which over time caused further cracking and damage. The second chimney is a heating appliance chimney used to vent the exhaust gasses from the furnace and water heater. This chimney was experiencing similar damage characteristics as the first.
Brick & Mortar Repair Process
Both of these chimneys required partial rebuilds and tuckpointing from the roof area up. In order to complete this work scaffolding (stable work platforms) were erected. At this point our masons tore down the damaged sections of the chimney stack. This included the concrete crowns and several rows of brick. We also ground out (removed) the mortar between the bricks from the roof area up and tuckpointed (replaced the mortar) paying close attention to match the style, color, and texture to mortar used elsewhere on the home. We then selected a brick to match the original brick as best as possible and the chimneys were rebuilt to code required termination height. New concrete crowns were framed and poured approx. 4” thick with a 2” overhang to allow the water to drain away from the brick below.
Finishing Touches
When this work was completed the new brickwork was cleaned and protected with a waterproofing application. The site was cleaned of all debris and left in better condition than when we found it. Don’t hesitate to contact us for all your chimney needs.
