Can Chimneys Get Repaired in the Winter?
Chimney sweep companies often encourage customers to schedule chimney repairs in summer, but it’s not merely an advertising ploy. It’s about the question, can chimneys get repaired in the winter? The answer is, yes, it is possible. However, winter chimney repairs are only recommended in emergency situations. The cost is higher, and the masonry work is less durable when performed in temperatures below 40ºF. So, you see, it is to the customers’ advantage to avoid chimney repairs in winter. More details follow.
What Hinders Winter Masonry Repair Work?
In former days, making permanent masonry repairs in temps under 40ºF was not possible because the materials involved wouldn’t work in those conditions. Thanks to advances in materials used by manufacturers of masonry products, chimneys can be repaired in winter…for a price!
While chimney sweeps are in ideal conditions as they make chimney repairs in summer, doing the work in winter is fraught with complications. Chimney sweeps must use tarps and heaters. They are forced to battle cold, moisture, and icy rooftops to perform the work. In addition, the bricks must be warmed sufficiently to ensure that the curing process for necessary building materials is successful.
Emergency Chimney Masonry Repairs
It is not unusual for chimneys to be damaged during harsh winters. Moisture is Enemy Number One for chimneys, especially when the moisture is in the form of sleet and snow. It is during the wintertime that bricks containing moisture expand and contract. The movement is caused by the water that freezes and thaws. The result 100% of the time is the destruction of each affected brick, though the visual evidence may be gradual.
Once a chimney has developed cracks in the crown or bricks & mortar, emergency chimney repairs are needed. Otherwise, any sort of precipitation will only spread the damage throughout the chimney system. It is to any homeowner’s advantage to avoid a complete chimney masonry rebuild. So, winter, summer, spring, or fall, emergency chimney repairs should be made without delay.
When is the Best Time for Masonry Repair?
The curing process for chimney masonry materials works best in the summer months. Schedule chimney masonry repairs in summer for the best results. It is often difficult to recognize that chimney repairs are needed. That is one of the reasons that the nation’s leading fire safety organizations agree that annual chimney inspections are vital. Any potential problems that may exist in your chimney will be discovered during the chimney inspection. Scheduling the inspection when the weather is warm gives you the benefit of making the repairs necessary before the arrival of chilly weather.
The uniquely widespread frigid temperatures experienced during the North American winter storm in 2021 could very well make a return visit in 2022, experts say. Even if conditions don’t qualify as a rare weather phenomenon, common freeze-and-thaw cycles are all it takes to complicate chimney masonry repairs.
In Wisconsin, can chimneys get repaired in winter? Yes! For year-round chimney repairs, contact Chimney Specialists Inc. Call us today at (608) 929-4887 or use our online contact form. To see a selection of efficient fireplaces and heating stoves, you can also visit our showroom at 869 Main Street, Highland, WI 53543.
