September 5, 2010

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Why Is My New Chimney Cracking?

June 16, 2010 By chimneyadmin Leave a Comment

So, you’ve either built a new home or simply rebuilt your chimney, but now you see cracks. This can be disheartening, especially if you’ve just had the chimney replaced due to structural problems or similar cracks. There are many possible causes to these cracks, but is important to deal with these cracks before water can enter them and either erode away more brick or cause even more damage due to the freeze-thaw process that frequently occurs, especially through winter months.

Why did this even happen in the first place? Even if the chimney is brand new, using brand new brick and mortar, there are various reasons why a chimney would crack. It is important to distinguish between hairline cracks and long cracks that appear to just keep growing. After being laid, brick will shrink from UV exposure and the loss of small amounts of moisture present in brick. This may cause hairline cracks to appear, and although they are not of particular concern, you will want to consider sealing them with a crack sealant.

Conversely, long cracks, either vertical or horizontal, that are wider than what could be considered hairline are of an issue. These will need to be dealt with either by you or a professional. Sometimes the soil is not strong enough to support the extreme weight of a new chimney. Due to this fact the ground will shift. This is called “settling” and can cause cracks to form as the structure is bent ever so slightly this way and that. The settling process can be expected to stop eventually.

Other times, an inadequate footer may be to blame. This slab of concrete is supporting an extreme weight. Your footer must be at least 12 inches thick and extend 15 inches in all directions on the sides of the base of the chimney. Steel bars should be placed 2 to 4 inches up from the bottom of the chimney in both directions for additional support. If the chimney is not placed on a sound foundation, then there can be little hope for a structurally sound chimney. If you suspect that the footer was not properly constructed, then the mason who installed the chimney may be to blame for your chimney woes.

Interestingly enough, mortar does not come to its full strength until it cures completely, a process that can take months in some cases. As the wind blows and the climate changes, the chimney can sway minutely this way and that. As the structure is bent, cracks can occur. The most sound chimney will encompass steel bars that help to keep the chimney as upright as possible, even during the strongest winds, to prevent the brick and mortar alike from shifting until the mortar has time to cure completely.

No matter the reason behind your cracks, they will only continue to worsen if they are not taken care of. It is imperative to waterproof your brick with a sealant that will not only protect the crack itself from water penetration and freeze-thaw damage, but also allow the brick beneath it to breathe. Certain crack sealants are better than others, and doing a bit of research prior to making a purchase will save you trouble in the future. If you hire a professional to help you out, make sure to inquire as to what type of sealant they will be using on your chimney. Taking the time to read reviews on products and coming to a working understanding of what type of chemicals the product is comprised of will let you rest knowing that your chimney has been taken care of with prime products.

Filed Under: Brick Repair Tagged With: , , ,

Help! I Need Brick Repair

June 16, 2010 By chimneyadmin Leave a Comment

Having been in business since 1981, I cannot begin to tell you how many customers calling for an ‘outer estimate,’ a visual inspection and written list of recommendations for chimneys which are deteriorating, spalling, falling, or have been damaged by some natural cause.

Often times, an estimator will give you estimates of varying amounts that correlate with different types of repairs and fixes. Although this process can be confusing at times, it is our policy to walk customers through the estimation and repair process.

When tackling moderately severe chimney damage (many brick are spalling, cracking, or falling out) it is frequently necessary to rebuild the outer “shell” of the chimney. In doing this, a mason takes off the exterior brick of the chimney down to a few courses (rows) of brick below the end of the existing damage and replaces those with new brick, new mortar, and a coat of water repellent.

This type of repair, the partial or (in very bad instances of spalling or cracking) total rebuilds, is most often the most expensive repair possible. A less expensive repair is an option available for budget repairs and small repairs. In situations where the damage is generally not widespread and minimal where it can be found, a cut and plug method can be used.

This method is the cutting out of damaged brick and replacing them with new bricks using new mortar. This type of repair usually carries a short or no warranty at all and is far less durable than a more extensive rebuild option. As with the rebuild repair, water repellent is applied to the brick once the repair has been completed and given ample time to cure.

A water repellent (we like ChimneySaver Water Repellent) is a necessary step after the completion of any brick repair. Its cost is a small price to pay due to its immense ability to deflect water from eroding away your chimney’s lifetime. A good water repellent will not merely form a film over your brick (which winds up trapping water vapors and promoting the likelihood of spalling) but actually form a semi-permeable membrane around the surface of the brick that allows vapors to move freely but prevents the water droplets from entering. This step is essential to upholding the integrity of your chimney repair.

Filed Under: Brick Repair Tagged With: , , ,

My Brick is Cracked and Flaking!

June 16, 2010 By chimneyadmin 2 Comments

Brick, especially older brick or brick that has never been treated with water repellent has a tendency to crack or flake off as a result of freeze thaw damage and general wear and tear. Although preventative maintenance can be performed routinely over the years to preserve the life of your masonry, cracks will occur despite the most thorough preventative measures.

Things may appear perfectly fine one season, and the very next you may begin to see pieces of brick cracking off of your chimney and landing on the roof or the ground surrounding the chimney. This is what is known as spalling, and is a red flag signaling repair has become necessary. A lot of spalling and cracking is a direct result of water damage. Any masonry repair completed absolutely must be waterproofed, seeing that water damage is the number one cause of chimney damage, period.

Because the chimney is suspended so high above the roof line, they are extremely susceptible to damage from the elements. Making these cracks look less noticeable is an area of expertise perfected over our time in business. We use specialized tools to gently manipulate the crack area to be worked on. We will never beat on your wall with a sledge hammer as some other companies deem appropriate!

Sculpting mortar into these cracks and applying the proper stain is all a part of the process, but the key is really applying a water repellent to seal the effects of the repair and seal life into your bricks.

When it comes to protecting your chimney from spalling, cracking and deterioration, chimney waterproofing must be done with a quality water repellent such as Chimney Saver.

Filed Under: Brick Repair Tagged With: , , , ,

My Chimney Is New! Why Is It Cracking?

June 8, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

So, you’ve either built a new home or simply rebuilt your chimney, but now you see cracks. This can be disheartening, especially if you’ve just had the chimney replaced due to structural problems or similar cracks. There are many possible causes to these cracks, but is important to deal with these cracks before water can enter them and either erode away more brick or cause even more damage due to the freeze-thaw process that frequently occurs, especially through winter months.

Why did this even happen in the first place? Even if the chimney is brand new, using brand new brick and mortar, there are various reasons why a chimney would crack. It is important to distinguish between hairline cracks and long cracks that appear to just keep growing. After being laid, brick will shrink from UV exposure and the loss of small amounts of moisture present in brick. This may cause hairline cracks to appear, and although they are not of particular concern, you will want to consider sealing them with a product called CrackMagik. It seals cracks to prevent water intrusion and it can be applied with a thin paintbrush.

Conversely, long cracks, either vertical or horizontal, that are wider than what could be considered hairline are an issue. These may need to be dealt with by a professional. Sometimes the soil is not strong enough to support the extreme weight of a new chimney. Due to this fact the ground will shift. This is called “settling” and can cause cracks to form as the structure is bent ever so slightly this way and that. The settling process can be expected to stop eventually.

Other times, an inadequate footer may be to blame. This slab of concrete is supporting an extreme weight. Your footer must be at least 12 inches thick and extend 15 inches in all directions on the sides of the base of the chimney. Steel bars should be placed 2 to 4 inches up from the bottom of the chimney in both directions for additional support. If the chimney is not placed on a sound foundation, then there can be little hope for a structurally sound chimney. If you suspect that the footer was not properly constructed, then the mason who installed the chimney may be to blame for your chimney woes.

Interestingly enough, mortar does not come to its full strength until it cures completely, a process that can take months in some cases. As the wind blows and the climate changes, the chimney can sway minutely. As the structure is bent, cracks can occur. The most sound chimney will encompass steel bars that help to keep the chimney as upright as possible, even during the strongest winds, to prevent the brick and mortar from shifting until the mortar has time to cure completely.

No matter the reason behind your cracks, they will only continue to worsen if they are not taken care of. It is imperative to seal your brick with a breathable chimney sealant that will not only protect the cracks from water penetration and freeze-thaw damage, but also allow the brick beneath it to breathe. Certain crack sealants are better than others, and doing a bit of research prior to making a purchase will save you trouble in the future. If you hire a professional to help you out, make sure to inquire as to what type of sealant they will be using on your chimney. It’s important to find a breathable water repellent instead of a film-forming sealer. Sealers trap water vapor and contribute to freeze-thaw damage, causing spalling to take place. Breathable water repellents allow trapped water vapor to escape back into the atmosphere.

Filed Under: Brick Repair, Masonry Chimney Waterproofing Tagged With: ,

My Brick is Cracked and Flaking

February 6, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

Brick, especially older brick or brick that has never been treated with water repellent has a tendency to crack or flake off as a result of freeze thaw damage and general wear and tear. Although preventative maintenance can be performed routinely over the years to preserve the life of your masonry, cracks will occur despite the most thorough preventative measures.Things may appear perfectly fine one season, and the very next you may begin to see pieces of brick cracking off of your chimney and landing on the roof or the ground surrounding the chimney. This is what is known as spalling, and is a red flag signaling repair has become necessary. A lot of spalling and cracking is a direct result of water damage. Any masonry repair completed absolutely must be waterproofed, seeing that water damage is the number one cause of chimney damage, period.

Because the chimney is suspended so high above the roof line, they are extremely susceptible to damage from the elements. Making these cracks look less noticeable is an area of expertise perfected over our time in business. We use specialized tools to gently manipulate the crack area to be worked on. We will never beat on your wall with a sledge hammer as some other companies deem appropriate!

Sculpting mortar into these cracks and applying the proper stain is all a part of the process, but the key is really applying a water repellent to seal the effects of the repair and seal life into your bricks.

When it comes to protecting your chimney from spalling, cracking and deterioration, chimney waterproofing must be done with a quality water repellent such as Chimney Save Solvent Based Water Repellent. This is a water repellent that I send out with the guys in the field when handling these types of repairs. It has a relatively low cost and incomparable protection for your brick.

Filed Under: Masonry Chimney Waterproofing Tagged With: , ,