Our Services
Chimney repairs for homes in Lake Mary
A free inspection comes first, then a written estimate that lists every repair and the reason for it.
Firebrick and joints inside the firebox
The firebox takes direct heat, so it is built differently from the rest of the chimney. Under the state building code, firebrick goes in with medium-duty refractory mortar, and the joints between firebricks are limited to 1/4 inch. Open joints, loose firebrick and cracks running through the brick let heat get at the masonry behind. Failed firebrick is replaced and joints are rebuilt to that standard.
Firebox repairs in Lake Mary are priced in writing before any work begins, and no hidden fees are added later.
Cracks that point to movement
Some cracks are about more than weather. The Brick Industry Association treats cracks that pass through several bricks, cracks that step or run diagonally, and masonry that has moved out of line as signs of a structural issue, which generally call for a professional engineer's investigation. A chimney showing those signs needs its cause understood before anyone repoints over it.
When we see them on a chimney in Lake Mary, we tell you directly, keep the fireplace out of use and explain what has to be answered first.
Keeping wood clear of the masonry
The code keeps house framing from sitting tight against a masonry chimney. The code asks for a 2-inch airspace to combustible material for chimney masonry inside the house or built into an outside wall, 1 inch where the chimney stands wholly outside, and noncombustible fireblocking where it passes floors and ceilings. Those gaps are rarely visible from the room, but they come into view whenever repairs open a wall or an attic.
Framing found too close to the chimney during work in Lake Mary is shown to you, with the options, before we go any further.
Matching new masonry to old
New brick and mortar rarely look identical to material that has weathered for years. Industry guidance for brick suggests sample panels when matching brick or mortar, and we work the same way, trying the mix and the brick against your chimney before the full repair. Some difference in tone can remain at first and soften as the new work weathers.
Before starting, you learn what match to expect, so the finished repair in Lake Mary holds no surprises.
