Our Process

How we repair spalled brick in Geigers Landing

How salts inside the brick push the face off

Water moving through masonry carries dissolved salts. When it evaporates at the surface, the salts show as a white bloom that is usually harmless. When the water dries just under the surface instead, the salts crystallize within the brick, and the National Park Service notes that this pressure can make the outer surface spall off.

That is why spalling and moisture go together. Replacing the damaged bricks on a chimney in Geigers Landing is only half the job, and the other half is reducing the water that feeds the salts, which we trace during the free inspection.

Cleaning the opening before the new brick goes in

Dust, old mortar and loose fragments left in the opening weaken the bond of the new brick. BIA Technical Note 46 calls for removing them with care and, where the brick is an outer wythe backed by an air space, for keeping debris out of that space so drainage is not blocked.

We clean each opening before setting the replacement. It takes a few extra minutes per brick, and it is the difference between a unit that stays put and one that works loose.

How new brick settles in over time

New brick looks crisp next to units that have weathered for years. Even a close match in size and color can read slightly brighter at first, and the new joints will look fresh until they weather too. That contrast softens as rain and sun work on the new material.

We set clear expectations for your Geigers Landing home before work starts: what the repair will look like on day one and what changes as it weathers. Where appearance matters most, such as the street-facing side, we choose the closest brick we can find for that face.

Loose pieces over walkways and roofs

Spalled faces and loose bricks near the top of a chimney can drop onto the roof, into gutters or onto a walkway below. A falling fragment from roof height can damage shingles or hurt someone.

Keep people away from the area below the chimney until it has been checked, and do not try to pull loose pieces free yourself. Our crew removes unstable material first when we arrive at your Geigers Landing home, then carries on with the planned replacement. If the chimney sits over a doorway or a driveway, tell us when you book so our specialists can make that area safe first.