Chimney Services
What goes into a chimney rebuild in Lake Charm
Rebuild checkpoints in Lake Charm, with the code and guidance behind each one.
Setting the flue lining in a rebuilt section
When a clay-lined chimney is rebuilt, the flue tiles in that section are reset or replaced along with the brick. The Florida Building Code, Residential, calls for clay liners installed to ASTM C1283, laid in medium-duty, water-insoluble refractory mortar with smooth, tight joints.
The code also keeps a clay flue within 30 degrees of vertical, requires the liner to be supported on all sides and keeps a narrow air space or insulation between the liner and the brick around it. We explain how your liner will be handled before the old section comes down, so the new masonry is built around a sound flue.
If tiles in the section that stays are cracked or out of line, we tell you before rebuilding over them, since a sound new top on a damaged flue leaves the real problem hidden below.
Keeping weather out during the rebuild
A chimney taken down to the roofline is an open hole in the house until the new courses and crown are finished. Brick industry guidance calls for covering the tops of walls and open work with a waterproof cover at the end of every workday and during any stoppage.
We cover the flue and the fresh masonry each evening and before any rain, and we protect the roof and attic around the opening. If weather stops work for a day or two, the chimney stays covered until we are back. You are never left with an open chimney overnight, and the attic side is checked before we close up.
The cover is weighted and tied so wind cannot lift it, and it sheds water away from the open flue and the roofing instead of channeling rain toward the attic.
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.
