Our Services
How we rebuild chimneys in Lake Mary
The Florida Building Code and brick industry guidance, applied to rebuilds in Lake Mary.
A cricket on the high side of the roof
Water running down a roof piles up against the upper side of a chimney. A cricket, a small peaked diversion built behind the chimney, splits that flow and sends it around the sides instead of into the flashing.
The Florida Building Code, Residential, requires one where the chimney's dimension parallel to the ridge is more than 30 inches and the chimney does not meet the ridge. When a rebuild changes the chimney's footprint, or the roof around it is being redone, we check whether a cricket is needed and coordinate it with the flashing and your roofer.
A cricket is usually framed and covered by the roofer and then flashed to the chimney, so it goes into the schedule at the point where the new masonry is ready for its counterflashing.
Rebuilding after storm damage
High wind can topple a weakened chimney top or knock courses loose, and a falling section can damage the roof on its way down. The first job is making the area safe and keeping rain out of the open chimney and the roof around it.
Once it is safe, we assess how far the damage reaches and whether a partial rebuild will do. Keep the fireplace out of use until then, and keep people away from the area below the chimney. Our 24/7 emergency line takes storm calls, and the inspection that follows is free, with the rebuild priced in writing before any work begins.
Tell us when the damage happened and whether the fireplace was in use at the time. That history helps us judge whether heat or water has affected the masonry still standing.
Access, debris and protecting the house
Taking a chimney down creates heavy debris. We plan a safe route to the roof, protect the roofing around the chimney and keep broken brick contained so it does not slide down the roof or into the gutters.
Tell us about anything fragile below the chimney, from plants and patio furniture to a skylight, when we visit. Debris leaves the property as the work goes, and at the end we walk the roof line and yard with you. Where a rebuild needs scaffolding or a lift, it is shown on the estimate so the price holds no surprises.
We also keep the fireplace opening sealed from the inside during teardown, so dust and mortar grit that fall down the flue stay out of the room.
