How To Tell If It’s Time For Masonry Repair

Masonry is built to last, but even the toughest of structures can suffer the effects of mother nature. Natural wear and tear can deteriorate your chimney structure over time. Scheduling annual chimney inspections and watching for warning signs that repairs are due is critical to ensure a more stable chimney structure.

Why Inspections Are So Important 

During routine checks, your chimney technician will look for masonry debris or mortar, as well as visible cracks, loose or degrading mortar joints, missing bricks, or other signs of damage including the flashing, crown, cap, and flue.

Areas to Watch Out for

Deteriorating or Missing Mortar

Mortar is like the glue that bonds bricks together. When mortar becomes crumbled, starts to fall out, or has gaps, it leaves the structure vulnerable to water damage, shifting, and more. Bricks may shift or rub against each other, leading to deterioration.

Cracked Bricks

Cracks in bricks or mortar joints are another major sign of damage. Water can make its way into these cracks and worsen damage, especially during freeze-thaw cycles, and may eventually cause bulging bricks or interior problems. Annual inspections can help catch these signs early on avoiding damage escalation.

Interior Damage

Not all damage is readily visible. This reiterates the importance of a professional and thorough chimney inspection! Sometimes, masonry damage can lead to other issues that aren’t as easily noticeable but can still be very dangerous for your chimney structure and even for you.

What Can You Do?

Depending on what signs you see or what damage is detected during your professional inspection, our team can suggest the proper repairs to return your chimney to its former glory (and safety!)

Chimney Tuckpointing

If your mortar joints are failing, it may be time for tuckpointing. Tuckpointing is what chimney pros call the process of removing and replacing the mortar joints between the bricks of your chimney in order to preserve the structural integrity of the chimney.

Partial or Total Rebuilding

If your chimney’s bricks are cracked or damaged beyond simple repair, our team may suggest a partial or total rebuild. During a rebuild, a qualified team will remove the damaged parts of your chimney and rebuild the structure. When done by a certified team of chimney professionals, like our technicians at Chimney Specialists Inc, this process can give your chimney a new life!

Other Chimney Repairs

If the interior components of your chimney have suffered the effects of masonry damage, you may need to schedule some other repairs as well. Chimney relining, fireplace repairs, and more may be required to fully return your chimney and fireplace system to functionality.

Schedule Repairs Now!

If you notice any of these signs—missing or damaged mortar, cracked bricks, or signs of damage in your chimney’s interior—it’s time to call a masonry expert. Call an experienced professional to assess the extent of damage and choose the right repairs—repointing, brick replacement, or structural correction.

Chimney Specialists Inc Can Help

Our team at Chimney Specialists Inc is here to help. Call our team or contact us online today for inspections, repairs, and more! Stop minor damage from turning into major structural problems by calling the pros to intervene now!