Chimney Repair Baltimore is work requiring special skills, tools, and experience. It often involves perilous heights and is labor-intensive, so professionals have a distinct advantage over DIY homeowners.
Cracks and damage to the chimney crown, deterioration of the flue liner, and white staining, called efflorescence, are signs that a chimney needs repair. A skilled mason can restore these structures to their original condition.
A chimney’s flue is lined with a material that helps contain and guide combustion byproducts up and out of the home. A damaged chimney liner is a serious safety hazard, and it is not something you can easily repair on your own. A crack or a hole in the flue liner can let toxic gases seep into living areas of your house, including carbon monoxide. This odorless and colorless gas can lead to poisoning with prolonged exposure.
Damaged chimney liners can be caused by various events, from storm damage to chimney fires. Chimney fires often crack flue tiles through thermal stress as a result of burning hot byproducts that force them to expand beyond their normal capacity. Old clay flue tiles can also deteriorate through weather conditions and the natural settling of your chimney over time, leading to spalling, which is when the tiles look pitted and rough in texture.
If you suspect your chimney liner is damaged, have it inspected by a licensed professional. During the inspection, they can use specialized video imaging technology to see inside your chimney and check for early signs of a faulty liner, like gaps, cracks, and spalling. If the chimney flue tile is cracked or damaged, a professional recommends repairing it before you build your next fire.
There are several ways a flue liner can be fixed, depending on how many of the tiles are damaged and where they are located. For example, if only one of the flue tiles is damaged and it is near the top of the chimney, you can try to repair it by sanding down the mortar joint and then using chimney cement or mortar to fill in the gap. The other way to fix a damaged chimney flue liner is to hire professionals to pour a cast-in-place liner. This is a highly technical job that involves pouring a cement-like product along the walls of the passageway in your chimney to form an insulation layer and improve the chimney’s structural integrity. Research has shown that this type of chimney liner also reduces creosote accumulation.
Leaking Chimney
A leaky chimney can cause serious structural damage to your fireplace, chimney and home. Water can rot the mortar between the bricks, compromising the integrity of your chimney system. It can also wreak havoc on your ceilings and walls, leading to mold and mildew. Chimney leaks can be caused by roof damage, damaged flashing or a cracked chimney crown.
Brick is a very porous material. It readily absorbs moisture, which can be problematic when the weather turns stormy. Heavy rains and accumulated water can weaken the masonry, chimney brick, and mortar, causing them to crumble and break down. This can compromise the structure of your chimney and the studs, framing and siding surrounding it.
The most common source of a chimney leak is a damaged or corroded chimney flashing. Chimney flashing is the metal barrier that separates your roof from the chimney. The purpose of the flashing is to prevent rainwater from entering the chimney, but it can easily rust and wear down over time. If your flashing is leaking, it needs to be repaired immediately.
Chimney flashing can be fixed by having a professional chimney sweep replace the old flashing with new flashing materials. We recommend using flash seal, which is an elastomeric waterproof membrane designed specifically for chimney flashing. It provides a stronger and more durable seal than conventional caulking, which can deteriorate in as little as a few years.
If you suspect a chimney leak, contact a trusted local masonry and roofing company to schedule an inspection. A thorough chimney inspection can help identify and repair a number of issues that may be affecting the condition of your fireplace, roof and home.
Having your chimney and home properly inspected can help prevent fire hazards, costly repairs and expensive damage. A well-maintained chimney can provide you and your family with a warm, cozy, safe fireplace experience for years to come. The experienced masonry and roofing professionals at Anderson’s Chimney & Masonry Services can help with all of your chimney and home maintenance and repair needs. Call today to set up your appointment!
Deterioration of Brick and Mortar
Mortar holds brick together, providing stability to the chimney structure. Over time, due to age, weathering and other factors, mortar can deteriorate, leaving gaps between bricks. These gaps are not only unsightly, but they can allow moisture to penetrate the masonry and lead to structural damage.
If the mortar on your chimney is deteriorating, you can repair it by carefully removing the old mortar and replacing it with fresh, compatible mortar. This process is called repointing. Ideally, the new mortar should match the look, texture and color of the existing mortar. This is usually best done by a qualified mason who understands the history of your chimney and has experience repairing older structures.
Cracks in individual chimney bricks are common and should be repaired promptly. Chimney fires are caused when creosote accumulates in cracked and damaged areas of a chimney and ignites, creating an extremely dangerous and destructive situation. A cracked chimney can also cause a fire to spread to other parts of your home. Cracks that extend from the flue to the exterior of the chimney should be repaired immediately to avoid structural failure and possible collapse of the chimney.
The crown is the topmost part of a chimney. It is crucial to chimney safety because it shields the flue from water, debris and animals. The crown should be inspected regularly to ensure that it is in good condition. If the crown is damaged, it should be replaced with a durable, waterproof sealant that will adhere to the masonry.
A tarp can be used to temporarily cover a damaged chimney while the repair is being completed. The tarp should be removed once the repair is complete and a waterproof protective coating applied to prevent future water penetration.
If you have a mortar joint that is soft or crumbling, a quality premixed masonry patching compound can be used to repair it. Mix the compound according to label directions and apply it to the damaged area using a trowel, smoothing it out with a brush. Lightly mist the patched area with water, keeping it damp to help it cure slowly.
Leaning Chimney
A chimney is a heavy structure and when it leans it places a significant amount of stress on the foundation beneath it. This stress can lead to a number of problems including cracking in the walls of your house. Over time, this can become serious enough to require foundation repair. Chimneys that lean or tilt can also cause damage to your home and create a fire hazard.
If you notice your chimney leaning, it is important to take action right away. If you don’t have a professional inspect it, the lean may continue to worsen, and could eventually cause the bricks and mortar to crack. A leaning chimney can also damage your roof and sag the siding of your house.
One of the first signs that a chimney is leaning is when you can see a gap between the brick of your house and the exterior of the chimney. Some homeowners try to use a temporary solution to fix this problem by filling the gap with masonry, caulking or foam insulation, and fastening it in place using metal straps. However, these are not real solutions and only mask the problem for a short period of time.
Another sign that a chimney is leaning is if the flashing on your roof becomes dislodged. A good way to check whether a chimney is leaning is to look inside your home and in the attic. You can easily determine if the chimney is leaning by looking to see if it is centered in its framed opening.
A common reason a chimney starts to lean is that the footing is too small. It should be a minimum of one foot thick and extend six inches outward on all sides of the chimney base. This is necessary to support the chimney’s weight, and prevent it from shifting over time.
There are also instances when the chimney is built without a footing at all, which makes it much more likely to start to lean over time. In these cases, it is essential that you contact a professional contractor like Matthews Wall Anchor & Waterproofing Services right away. In this situation, your contractor may have to use a technique called micropile underpinning. This is a method wherein helical piers are driven under the leaning chimney until they reach a solid soil base, which will then allow the use of brackets to support the chimney.