Chimney Services
Chimney rebuild details for Lock Arbor homes
Why our family-owned crew in Lock Arbor rebuilds chimneys the way it does.
How tall the rebuilt chimney must be
The Florida Building Code, Residential, sets a minimum height for chimney tops. The top has to clear the highest point where the chimney passes through the roof by at least 3 feet, and it has to sit at least 2 feet above any part of the house that lies within 10 feet.
A rebuild is the right moment to check that rule, since an older chimney may have been built short or cut down during an earlier roof job. Building to the required height keeps sparks and exhaust clear of the roof. We measure before we start and tell you if the finished top will stand higher than the old one.
Where a higher part of the house, such as a second story or a dormer, sits within 10 feet of the chimney, the extra height can be significant, and we show you the measurement behind the number.
A new crown on the rebuilt top
Every rebuilt masonry chimney gets a new cap on top, usually called the crown. The code lists four things for that cap in section R1003.9.1: concrete, metal or stone as the material, a slope for runoff, a drip edge, and a bond break sealed with caulk wherever a flue liner comes through.
The slope keeps rain from pooling, the drip edge throws water clear of the brick below, and the bond break lets the liner and crown move separately as they heat and cool. A thin mortar wash troweled over the top course does none of that well, so we form and cast a proper crown on every rebuild and list it on the estimate.
We also make sure the crown overhangs the brick far enough for the drip edge to work, and we seal the joint around the flue liner with a flexible sealant instead of hard mortar.
Choosing brick for the rebuilt section
Brick size decides whether the new courses line up with the old ones, so it comes first. Color and texture come next. Sound bricks from the section being taken down can sometimes be cleaned and reused, which helps the rebuilt top blend with the rest of the chimney.
New brick beside weathered brick will look different at first, and we say so before ordering. Brick industry guidance recommends judging replacement brick with samples or a mock-up, so you see the options against your own chimney and approve the choice before any is set.
Where the chimney is visible from the street, a wider search for a close match can be worth it, and we tell you how much time a special order is likely to add to the schedule.
