Chimney Project 7/14

A Sample Chimney Project 7/14

I thought I'd offer you a look into what actually goes into repairing a chimney that is safe, reliable, and leak-proof. I'm including different shots of the chimneys that I've worked on recently to give you a better perspective on what actually happens during the repairs, and what the finished product looks like. 

Here's a typical chimney - it's got broken bricks, missing mortar, broken cement on the crown, and rusting, inadequate chimney caps. I'm using this just for illustration: 

You can see that the first phase of work involves what we call "repointing". That means that we scrape out and remove all loose mortar, and replace it with fresh, new cement. Once the cement has hardened a little, we brush off the excess and make it look nice and neat. (This roof was in a sad state, but the owner did not want any work done on it - just the chimney!)

Here's a crown that I recently replaced: 

Note how nice and smooth it is, with no cracks at all - this will keep the rain out of the chimney for many years to come. 

Next, proper flashing (sometimes including step flashing) is often needed: 

This is a lead flashing, bent around the existing shingles to aid water drain-off.  It is sealed completely, adhering to the chimney like a second skin. 

Here's a shot of me, examining areas that need attention:

Sometimes a new chimney cap is needed, because improper metals were used. On Long Island, we are continually pummeled by air that is laden with salts from the ocean. You've often heard tales of cars on Long Island rusting out more quickly than in any other parts of the country.  This is true of chimney caps, which is why we only use Stainless Steel chimney caps. They don't rust. 

This cap and crown will last quite a long time - it will probably last about the same time as a new roof. It is carefully attached to prevent it from blowing off, as well. 

And that's my recent chimney project - I hope you like it.
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