Masonry Repair

Here are some things to look for that may indicate it’s time to have a professional inspect and repair your masonry chimney and fireplace:

• Cracks, holes, gaps, or crumbling of the mortar joints that hold the bricks or stones together
• Brick that’s discolored, cracked, crumbling, or falling apart

If you notice any of these things, call Chimspector Venting Specialists! We’re experienced masonry restoration experts and we specialize in tuckpointing and brick spalling repair.

Masonry tuckpointing is simply a process that’s designed to resolve and repair crumbling mortar joints and cracks, holes, and gaps in the mortar. Many times this type of mortar damage occurs because of exposure to wind, rain, temperature changes, house settling, and age, and if not repaired, these cracks, chips, holes, gaps, and receding mortar joints will only grow and worsen. But if repaired early on, the repair process is rather simple and small, and further damage can be prevented.

For small hairline cracks, we may simply need to fill and seal the crack to prevent it from growing and to keep moisture out. If the damage is more extensive, we may need to grind out the mortar between the brick and pack freshly mixed and expertly matched mortar into its place. Whatever your chimney and fireplace end up needing, our masonry experts have the training, skills, and tools to do a professional job and leave your chimney and fireplace strong and looking as good as new. We take great care to protect the surrounding brick and mortar and we never leave a job with messy, mortar-covered brickwork.

Is it time you had your mortar repaired? Whether you just noticed a hairline crack or you have a pretty large hole in your mortar joint, we’ll take care of it!

We can also tackle those spalling brick issues. Spalling brick is a term used to describe when the facing of the brick falls off or the brick falls apart. What causes brick to fall apart? Well, it’s typically a result of moisture penetration, either from inside or outside the home. For example, porous brick could absorb moisture during a heavy rainstorm, but it could also absorb moisture from inside the chimney as the result of a poor quality furnace flue liner. All brick will absorb moisture to some extent, but when excessive moisture penetrates the brick, that’s when you have problems.

Spalling can also occur as a result of the freeze/thaw cycles that happen in the winter when moisture is trapped inside of the brick. As the temperature drops below freezing and rises again, the moisture inside freezes and thaws, causing the brick facing to pop off.

If you’ve noticed brick damage and spalling, it’s important that you schedule repairs as soon as possible. If left alone, the damage will only get worse and more moisture will make its way into the brickwork. Additionally, compromised or weakened brick puts more stress on the other bricks and mortar joints in the structure. When you catch the damage early on, Chimspector Venting Specialists can simply repair the chimney, waterproof it, and help prevent future problems and further deterioration. If the damage is left to worsen, however, a full chimney rebuild may be necessary.

Many older homes have Old Chicago Brick, which is brick from the 1800s up to the 1970s. This type of brick was made from natural clay in the Chicago area, and has unique color, texture, and character that can’t be recreated or matched with today’s bricks. If you have an Old Chicago Brick chimney or fireplace, while we can find bricks that are relatively similar, please know we cannot guarantee a perfect match. For this reason, if your chimney is in bad shape, a total rebuild may be necessary.

Protect yourself against the expense of a chimney rebuild by keeping an eye on your chimney and calling Chimspector Venting Specialists whenever you notice any brick or mortar damage! Call 803-602-5929 or fill out our online appointment request form to request your inspection, tuckpointing, or spalling brick repair appointment today.