Chimney Repair

The repair work, explained

In Black Hammock, every finished repair carries our workmanship warranty along with our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Repointing worn mortar joints

In a brick wall, mortar is the part designed to give way first, sparing the brick. When joints crumble, hold voids or crack along the brick edge, repointing removes the damaged mortar to an even depth and packs new mortar back in thin layers. Brick industry guidance says the new mortar must be equal to or lower in strength than the original, because a stronger mix concentrates stress where brick meets mortar and can spall the brick face.

We match the new joints to your chimney's mortar as closely as we can, and repointing in Black Hammock comes with our workmanship warranty.

Maintenance visits after the repair

NFPA 211 asks that chimneys, fireplaces and vents get an inspection every year, checking each one for soundness, for deposits and for clearance from combustibles, with repairs made where a need turns up. A yearly maintenance visit catches a new crack, a loose cap or worn joints while the fix is still small, and it keeps the history of the chimney in one place.

We offer fireplace and chimney maintenance visits in Black Hammock, scheduled at a time of year that suits you.

Stains and damage inside the house

When water has been getting in, it often leaves marks indoors, on the ceiling beside the chimney, the wall around the fireplace or the hearth floor. Stopping the water is chimney work. Repairing drywall, paint or flooring is usually a job for another trade once the area has dried, and we say so rather than folding it quietly into the chimney price.

Interior damage is noted during the Black Hammock visit, so you know what to arrange after the chimney is repaired.

Settling at the base of the chimney

Under the building code, the footing under a masonry chimney must be concrete or solid masonry with a thickness of at least 12 inches, and it must project at least 6 inches out from the face of the wall it supports on all sides. When a chimney settles unevenly, the signs appear higher up, as a widening gap at the wall, cracks that step through the brick or a top that no longer sits plumb. Movement like that is investigated before any surface is patched.

Whatever the base of the chimney shows in Black Hammock is explained plainly, including when the question belongs with a structural engineer.