When our team inspects a chimney we look for any signs of damage, from damaged mortar to hairline cracks our team will report any issue. Our team will only recommend a full rebuild if it is vulnerable to a chimney fire and beyond repair with simple materials. If the structural integrity of your chimney is bad we may recommend a rebuild.

There are many factors that affect how long your chimney will last. These include its original construction, frequency of usage, maintenance, and poor weather. If there is a fault in the initial construction of your chimney or frequent uses without maintenance over the years your chimney will start to deteriorate. This usually presents itself in crumbling mortar or cracked bricks. Your chimney is the only part of your house not protected by a roof which means it has constant exposure to all of the elements. Exposure to elements such as water can cause freezing cracks and could cause serious structural damage to your chimney.

Rebuilding a Firebox

Sometimes rebuilding a chimney includes the replacement of the firebox. if you have noticed crumbling mortar or cracked firebricks then it needs to be replaced. In this case, it takes a skilled mason to repair and replace the entire firebox properly and to adhere to the original dimensions. Read more below about the replacement process.

1. Clean Up The Old Stuff: The first step to any chimney rebuild is to clean up the damaged areas, removing damaged bricks and old mortar. This should be done completely before moving on to rebuilding the chimney as having flaws in the surfaces may lead to air gaps which can cause damage to your new masonry.

2. Begin Rebuilding The Firebox and Chimney: Once the area is clean our team of masons will begin rebuilding your firebox using specialty bricks to prevent future damages.

3. Combustible Clearance: Our team of professional masons will make sure that your chimney will have the proper clearances to combustibles for your specific chimney.

Complete Masonry Chimney Rebuild

Masonry chimney rebuilds are among the most common types of chimney rebuilds that we complete. Often times these are completed from the roofline up as that area is the most likely to become damaged. A protective chimney cap is also needed after a rebuild.

1. Limited Chimney Rebuild: A limited chimney rebuild is when only the top section of the chimney needs to be rebuilt to code. These are small jobs that usually require mortar and some top bricks but often do not require scaffolding. A new cap and crown is generally recommended to protect the rebuild and the chimney.

2.Roof Line and Up Rebuild: These rebuilds include a lot more setup with scaffolding in many cases because of the material that needs to be removed from the chimney. The deteriorated part of the chimney will be removed down to the flashing on the roofline. Once the old portion is down the rebuild of the chimney to code will begin.

3. Complete Rebuild: In most cases chimney rebuilds take place without the removal of the interior brick facing and firebox. However, in some cases, our masons may recommend a complete rebuild. This is essentially the same as putting in a new chimney though in some cases the existing firebox and smoke chamber are left in place.