Chimney Services
Notes from our Altamonte Springs rebuild crew
Useful to know before you approve a rebuild on your Altamonte Springs home.
When the chimney pulls away from the wall
A widening gap between a chimney and the wall beside it means one of them has moved. Brick industry guidance for single-wythe chimneys describes attaching them to the structure with corrosion-resistant metal ties, and those ties can rust through or pull loose over time.
Closing the gap with sealant hides the movement without stopping it. We look at where the gap is widest, whether the chimney is tipping away at the top and what is happening at the base. Then we explain whether new ties, a partial rebuild or a structural review is the right next step, and what each would involve.
We also measure the gap on the first visit, so if you choose to watch it for a while before deciding, there is a starting figure to compare against later.
Partial or full rebuild
Most rebuilds are partial: the top section comes down to sound masonry and goes back up new. A full rebuild, taking the chimney down to or near its base, is a much larger job and is proposed only when the damage or movement runs that deep.
We tell you which one fits your chimney, why, and what we saw that points that way. If a partial rebuild would leave an unsound section below, we tell you, and if a smaller masonry repair would still hold, we tell you that too. The choice is yours, made with the full picture and the price of each option in writing.
A full rebuild also takes longer and often involves more trades, so we set out the schedule, the access plan and any work inside the house before you decide.
Work inside the house during a rebuild
Some rebuilds reach below the roof into the attic or the chimney breast inside the home. That can mean opening a ceiling, protecting finished rooms or working around wiring and insulation near the chimney.
We tell you in advance which rooms we need, how we will protect them and what other trades, such as a drywall or roofing contractor, might be needed afterward. The estimate separates our chimney work from anything outside our scope, so you know who handles what and nothing falls between two contractors.
If the chimney breast inside will be disturbed, we agree in advance how the surface will be left, so you know whether patching and painting are part of our job.
