Caring for your home is essential to protect your investment. It’s very important to be pro-active as maintenance that is left unattended can lead to even costlier repairs as well as health and safety hazards. In this Chatel Group Blog, we will focus on maintaining and restoring your chimney.
Out of Sight – Out of Mind Mentality
While it’s easy to recognize the maintenance needed in areas that you encounter every day, the areas of your home that are out of view are often more difficult to notice. This is a problem that could grow into a bigger, more costly problem. Don’t be complacent with those out of sight areas that are every bit as important as the areas you see every day.
The Brick Chimney and Spalling
A frequent problem with brick chimney’s is something called spalling. Spalling occurs when moisture seeps into a brick and then goes through the freeze/thaw cycle. Over time this water damage causes the spalling bricks to crumble, flake, and even pop completely out of the chimney making the chimney susceptible to all sorts of safety issues including structural failure causing collapse and health risks caused by mold.
Inside a Chimney Repair/Restoration
Recently, Sarah and Peter performed a remodel and added an extension to their Morningside Bungalow As part of that process, they discovered they needed to restore and repair their chimney. With regard to chimneys (especially in older homes) they will most often require a professional – which is precisely why they used Dennis O’Reilly of Competitive Masonry Services.
Dennis first examined their entire chimney, to determine exactly where the issues were. This included the mortar joints, chimney cap, chimney crown, and any visible bricks. He then removed the old mortar, prepped the surfaces and joints and then repointed the bricks. Repointing is the professional term for repairing the bricks with new mortar.
Also remember that if you are experiencing multiple leaks or damaged bricks, you may have bigger problems than are apparent to the eye so it’s always a great idea to call a professional. Not only to perform a careful inspection, but because of the location of the chimney, it’s safer to have experts on your roof!
For more information on the basics of prepping the bricks and pointing brickwork, check out this YouTube Video Need more great referrals for your home maintenance? Check out the Concierge Page on Chatel Group’s Website where you will find Chatel Group’s Professional Network filled with trusted professionals to help you with caring for your home!
Contact Sarah and Lisa today for all your real estate needs! Hey are happy to share their personal and professional expertise!
