Is your chimney starting to look a little worn? Are there any loose bricks or missing mortar? Is it not functioning properly? Just like any other part of your house, your chimney may start to look worn out over time. In some cases, chimneys may get to the point where they need to be rebuilt entirely! At Old Smokey’s, our masonry experts can inspect your chimney and decided what the best option is for restoring or rebuilding your chimney.
What causes issues that lead to chimneys needing restoration or rebuilding?
There are a number of issues that can lead to your chimney needing restoration or rebuilding. However, there are three issues that arise which are more common than others relevant to your chimney’s health. If you notice your chimney experiencing any of these symptoms below, it may be time to look at restoring or rebuilding your chimney.
- First, the older a chimney gets, the more likely it is to have issues with functionality. Your chimney takes a beating throughout its life via wind, rain, ice, and extreme temperature changes. Weather abuse over time can cause your chimney to start losing bricks and mortar. Additionally, it may also give your chimney a worn out appearance.
- Secondly, moisture causes the most problems for chimneys. When water seeps into little pores and cracks in you brick or masonry, it can settle there until winter. Freezing weather makes water freeze and expand, weakening your chimney by loosening bricks and mortar.
- Lastly, poor construction can cause all sorts of problems for chimneys, and may lead to your chimney not functioning properly. In fact, many of the rebuilds that we do at Old Smokey’s are due to poor construction by someone who isn’t properly trained in masonry!
What can I do if I think my chimney needs to be restored or rebuilt?
The first step to fixing your chimney would be contacting Old Smokey’s. One of our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified technicians will inspect your chimney and determine if restoration or rebuilding is actually needed. If it is determined that restoration or rebuilding is needed, the masonry experts at Old Smokey’s can help with that as well. Masonry work is demanding and meticulous. Therefore, it should only be performed by a mason that has had extensive training and experience working on chimneys. At Old Smokey’s we’ve been in the business for over 20 years. Our masonry work is the best in the business – and we are proud to stand by our work!