Our Process
Waterproofing a chimney in Astor Farms, in detail
Waiting for new masonry and repairs to cure
Fresh masonry and fresh mortar need time before a repellent goes on. For best results, the maker of one water-based siloxane repellent wants new masonry cured for 28 days or more, and a wait of at least 72 hours after repairs or tuckpointing, before the product is applied.
When your Astor Farms chimney needs both repairs and waterproofing, we schedule the treatment after the waiting period the product calls for, often as a second visit. Both steps appear on the written estimate, so you know the sequence before any work starts.
Protecting glass, paint, plants and shingles
Chemistry that bonds to brick can also mark what sits next to it. Technical Note 6A warns that coating chemicals can etch glass, damage paint and kill vegetation, and the ChimneySaver instructions ask for glossy surfaces, paint films, windows, plant life and asphalt-based materials to be protected from overspray and run-down.
On a shingle roof, the shingles sit right at the base of the chimney, so masking the roof is part of the job. Our crew covers windows, trim, plantings and the roof around your Astor Farms chimney before we start, and any accidental overspray is cleaned off right away with soap and water, as those instructions direct.
Wind-driven rain and a treated chimney
Sideways rain in a storm tests every face of a chimney. Technical Note 6A notes that a penetrating repellent's effectiveness under wind-driven rain is limited, and that it seldom stops water entering through wider cracks, which is one more reason cracks are repaired before treatment.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. An inspection booked early in the year gives time to repair and treat your Astor Farms chimney before the season, on a day dry enough for a proper application.
Stucco chimneys and water repellent
Portland cement stucco is porous and can take a penetrating repellent. The ChimneySaver data sheet lists portland cement stucco among its uses and gives it a coverage range of its own, which reflects how differently stucco absorbs compared with brick.
Cracks in stucco are a repair first. Our specialists check the finish on a stucco chimney in Astor Farms for cracks, soft spots and separation at the trim, and quote stucco repair separately from any repellent. A sound but thirsty stucco finish can then be treated, with a test area first, as on any surface.
