Chimney Rebuilding, Restoration & Renovation

Chimney damage is a concern for all homeowners. It’s a well-known fact that your chimney is only safe when it’s in proper shape and working optimally. Regular chimney inspections, cleaning and basic repairs and maintenance will go a long way toward ensuring the safety of your chimney. At one point, however, you may be facing the need for extensive chimney rebuilding, restoration or renovation. Here’s what you need to know about these processes.

Serious chimney damage

Chimneys can suffer serious damage to the point they’re no longer safe to use or even live around. Age plays a factor in this, but so do other things.

Neglected maintenance: Every type of chimney should receive a yearly inspection from a trained, professional chimney inspector. All chimneys connected to wood-burning appliances should be cleaned once a year by an experienced chimney sweep. Neglecting to have your chimney cleaned and inspected is a sure-fire way to wind up with a chimney that needs major reconstructive work down the line.

Chimney fires: A full-on chimney fire obviously can destroy a chimney. But even smaller fires – which often start and extinguish on their own without anyone in the home knowing about them – will do their share of damage. Creosote buildup is a key cause of most chimney fires in the U.S. each year.

Leaky chimney/water damage: When chimney masonry is cracked, water can infiltrate the bricks and mortar and cause extensive deterioration that requires some level of chimney rebuilding. A cracked chimney crown, a damaged chimney cap or flue top cover, warped or missing flashing and other issues can lead to a leaky chimney and structural decay.

Severe weather: As strong as chimney masonry is, it often can’t withstand lightning strikes, season after season of intense temperatures, high winds, regular house-settling and other events. Damage from the elements and structural movement often leads to the need for chimney restoration or rebuilding.

Chimney rebuilding: types & levels

Every chimney rebuilding/renovation project is unique. Your chimney inspector will be able to tell you, based on the level of damage detected, exactly what needs to happen to restore safety and efficiency to your chimney. Chimney rebuilding work may include the following:

Partial rebuilding: If damage is localized, it may only be necessary to rebuild and repair certain sections of the masonry.

Complete rebuilding above the roofline: In some cases, no part of the chimney above the roofline can be saved and a new chimney section will need to be constructed.

Total chimney rebuilding: If there is structural compromise throughout the entire chimney system, your repair team may have to build a new one from the ground up.

Scheduling chimney rebuilding and renovation projects

Chimney service companies generally work throughout most of the year, but the springtime is often the best time to schedule major projects. Crews tend to be less busy right after the weather starts warming up, and you probably won’t be using your fireplace as much, making it easier for technicians to work around it. Additionally, by scheduling chimney rebuilding service in the spring, you keep your summer months open for vacations and other activities.

Dubuque Fireplace & Patio of Dubuque, Iowa, is ready to help with all your chimney inspection, chimney rebuilding and chimney cleaning needs. Our sister company, Chimney Specialists, provides the same top-level services in the Highland WI area. Call a chimney expert today.

Dubuque Fireplace & Patio

925 Century Drive, Dubuque, Iowa
(563) 582-5156

Chimney Specialists Inc.
869 Main Street, Highland, WI
(608) 929-4887