Rebuilding
Tearing down and rebuilding an existing chimney is necessary sometimes to meet code standards. Partial tear down and rebuilds can be done if a chimney is structurally sound down to a certain point. Full tear down and rebuilds occur when your chimney is deteriorated too much for just partial repairs. In each case a careful examination is performed, and our recommendations are proposed.
Re-Pointing
In some cases the brick, or stone is in good shape, however the mortar in between is deteriorated. In this case replacing old deteriorated mortar with fresh mortar can be done if the chimney is still structurally sound, and can be saved by re-pointing. The old mortar is removed by diamond cutting blades, or chipped out, and new mortar is squeezed into the joints. This provides structural support and beauty to an existing masonry structure. The key to a lasting re-pointing job is making sure to remove enough old mortar to get down to a solid starting point, and having the proper mortar mix to fill the joints back in.
Crown Repair
The crown (or very top) of your chimney is very important and must remain intact and waterproof. If there are any cracks in the crown, water can leak down those cracks and then freeze, causing extensive water and ice damage. We offer services of crown removal, and replacement with fresh concrete, or crown sealing, which is the sealing of the top of the crown with a waterproof flexible membrane that comes with a 10 yr. warranty and ensures that this part of your chimney stays leak free.
Chimney Relining
Modern furnaces don’t waste energy by sending a lot of heat up a chimney. As a result, temperatures in the flue drop low enough to produce condensation. This water combines with acids in the flue to create acidic moisture.
Clay liners are particularly vulnerable to this acidic moisture assault. As a result we often find fire-clay tiles that are in such bad shape that it can be a carbon monoxide risk. In addition to safety issues, this moisture problem can break the the chimney structure itself.
We offer a range of chimney relining products. We will choose one that is perfect for your heating system. Relining a chimney requires proper sizing. Some companies will put in whatever liner fits, ignoring codes and national standards. We take the time to find out what is REQUIRED by your system, and then go from there.
