Our Process
How we repair spalled brick in Lake Monroe
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.
Finding a replacement brick that fits
A replacement brick has to match in size first, so it sits in the course without oversized joints, and then as closely as practical in color and texture. Older chimneys can have brick that is no longer made, which limits the choice.
Our specialists bring samples to compare against your chimney in daylight. Sometimes a sound brick from a hidden spot can be reused on a visible face. We tell you before ordering how close the match on your Lake Monroe chimney is likely to be, so the result holds no surprises.
How deep old mortar is removed
New mortar needs a deep enough joint to hold. The National Park Service calls for raking old mortar out to at least 2 to 2 1/2 times the joint's width, which ensures an adequate bond and keeps new mortar from popping out.
Shallow raking leaves a thin skin of new mortar over old, weak material, and it fails early. Our crew rakes the joints around the replaced bricks to the proper depth by hand, taking care not to chip the edges of sound brick.
What the brick replacement estimate shows
Brick replacement is priced on what is actually failing. The estimate for your Lake Monroe chimney lists the number of units to replace, the mortar type, any repointing around them and access needs such as roof work.
Related work that stops the water, such as crown, cap or flashing repair, appears on separate lines. You approve the plan before we start, with no hidden fees, and if we find an extra failed brick during the job, we show you before adding it. Our specialists go through each line with you before you approve it.
