Repair Options
Smoke chamber problems we fix in Sanlando Springs
What the code asks of the chamber walls
The inside surface of a masonry smoke chamber must be parged smooth, the Florida Building Code states, using refractory mortar that meets ASTM C199. That coat seals the joints and gives the smoke a clean path to the flue. A chamber that was never parged, or whose parging has fallen away, is missing that layer.
During a free inspection, the surface is checked and you see where the parging is missing or failing. In Sanlando Springs, confirming the repair within 72 hours of that inspection takes 10% off.
Sweeping before any parging
Parging will not bond to soot, loose deposits or crumbling mortar. Every chamber repair starts with a thorough cleaning of the chamber, the shelf and the damper area, followed by scraping away anything that is not sound. Only then can we see the real condition of the brick and plan the repair properly.
Cleaning needed for the repair is listed in your written price. Our local smoke chamber experts in Sanlando Springs explain what it covers.
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 Sanlando Springs.
A smoky smell between fires
Deposits in the smoke chamber and flue can give off a stale, smoky smell, especially on humid days or when the air conditioning pulls air down the chimney. Cleaning removes the source, and a smooth parged chamber leaves fewer ledges for new deposits. A closing damper helps too, and we check it while we are there.
Our family-owned team explains the likely cause after a free inspection in Sanlando Springs. Book within 72 hours of it and 10% comes off the work.
Why exterior stucco does not belong inside
Stucco, masonry cement and patching compounds from the hardware store are made for walls, not for the heat and acidic smoke inside a fireplace. The code calls for refractory mortar on the inside of a masonry smoke chamber. We sometimes find the wrong material from an earlier repair, and it has to come out before the chamber can be parged properly.
Our smoke chamber experts point it out and include its removal in the written price for Sanlando Springs.
