Chimney Restoration

How is refractory mortar different? Refractory mortar is made from high temperature cements and carefully selected aggregates that will not break down under high temperatures.  Heat Stop refractory mortars are considered the industry standard.

Did the crown erode and let water in? Did the mortar weaken, allowing the crown to settle… causing a cracked crown letting more water in.

The chimneycricket sheds rain water away from the chimney rather than allowing it to beat down onto the side of the chimney that is the most susceptible to water penetration.

In one case in Kansas City, a homeowner had a carpenter build custom bookcases and trim work around and above the fireplace. This work was quite extensive and expensive to build. After the work was completed, the homeowner called a chimney sweep to check it to see if there were any problems with the installation.

Have your masonry or manufactured chimney inspected by a professional chimney sweep after storm damage by tornado, lightning, hail, microburst, hurricane, or high wind.  Signs of storm damage to a masonry chimney may include brick pieces or full bricks lying on the ground or on the roof, fresh cracks in the chimney, or blown out sections of the chimney.

Masonry repair should ideally be completed in warm weather so that mortar sets up correctly.  Small repairs can be made using an accelerant mixed in the mortar during winter months, but larger repairs can not.

Homeowners have asked chimneys.com for information on what types of flue lining systems are available for masonry chimneys and what the advantages or disadvantages are among them.

One of the most common questions I’m asked when on a service call comes from a homeowner who would just like to his fireplace without any problems.
Many homeowners have fireplaces that have never worked or that have been made inoperable over the years due to chimney fires, wood stove installations or changes in the interior or exterior of their homes.

Chimney Repointing is the process of carefully removing deteriorated mortar from the joints of a masonry wall and replacing it with new mortar that has been intelligently formulated.