Repair Options

Smoke chamber problems we fix in Markham

Stepped brick inside the chamber

Many masonry chambers are built by stepping each course of brick inward over the one below, known as corbeling. The Florida Building Code keeps corbeled walls within 30 degrees of vertical and asks for the inside to be parged smooth. Left bare, the steps form a row of ledges facing the smoke.

Parging turns those steps into a smooth, sloping surface. Our family-owned team prices it upfront for homeowners in Markham, with no hidden fees.

Solid masonry around the chamber

Chamber walls, by the Florida Building Code, are solid masonry totaling at least 8 inches, or 6 inches when the inside is lined with 2 inches of firebrick or 5/8 inch of vitrified clay. Parging finishes those walls, it does not replace them. Where brick has crumbled or gone missing, the wall is rebuilt before any coat goes on.

Our family-owned team checks the masonry itself, not only the surface, during a free inspection in Markham.

How we look inside the chamber

Most of a smoke chamber can be seen by shining a strong light up through the open damper, and more from the top of the chimney when the roof allows. Some corners stay hidden behind the damper frame or deposits. When part of the chamber cannot be seen, we say so plainly instead of guessing what is there.

You get honest findings from our family-owned team, and the inspection in Markham costs nothing.

The ledge behind the damper

At the base of the chamber, behind the damper, most masonry fireplaces have a flat or dished ledge called the smoke shelf. Anything dropping down the flue lands there, mortar crumbs and leaves included, and it holds rainwater when the top of the flue is open. Over time its mortar surface can crack and crumble.

We clear and check the shelf on every smoke chamber inspection in Markham, and the look is free.

Clearing what lands on the shelf

Leaves, twigs, old nesting material and chunks of mortar can pile up on the smoke shelf where nobody sees them. Clearing them is cleaning. Repairing the shelf underneath is a separate step, and it is only needed when the surface is damaged. We tell you which one your fireplace needs.

If an animal is still living up there, removal comes first and is priced on its own. Call (645) 465-4122 for a free look in Markham.