Chimney Masonry

When there are visible signs of deterioration to your chimney, it will be in need of repair or replacement. If you’re seeing signs of chimney damage, particularly in the masonry work, you need to know exactly what’s happening as soon as possible to prevent additional damage to your chimney and home and to maintain the safe function of the chimney. 

Signs of Chimney Damage

1. Water damage

When water gets into the chimney system, it can lead to widespread damage that can destroy a chimney. Signs to watch for include water dripping in the firebox, white staining on the exterior masonry and damp sections of walls and the ceiling near the chimney/fireplace.

2. Crumbling or missing mortar

The mortar that holds the chimney’s bricks together may begin to decay and show signs of crumbling. This can be caused by water infiltration, poor-quality mortar used in construction and various seismic and weather events. If this situation isn’t addressed, eventually the entire chimney may fall over.

3. Loose or cracked bricks

Bricks that are damaged by water, lightning strikes or other events compromise the integrity of the chimney structure. As with crumbling mortar, loose, cracked or spalling brick can lead to very serious (and expensive) problems with your chimney.

4. General structural cracks

If there are cracks in the bricks or mortar of your chimney, it may seem like a minor problem at the moment, but it won’t stay that way. Water can get into cracks and freeze and then expand, causing significant damage.

5. Leaning chimney

A leaning chimney must be addressed as soon as it’s noticed to prevent a major collapse and risk to people’s lives. Only an experienced chimney inspector can diagnose exactly what’s causing the leaning and recommend how to fix it.

6. Cracked chimney crown

The cement crown at the top of your chimney is there to protect the bricks beneath it and the interior spaces of the chimney. Cracks in a chimney crown are caused by weather related aging, freeze thaw cycles and poor-quality construction. Left unaddressed, the entire crown can decay, leaving your chimney structure vulnerable to various types of damage.

7. Damaged or missing chimney cap

Chimney caps sit atop chimneys to keep water out of the flue. Full-width chimney caps also protect the crown. Damaged chimney caps can lead to water infiltration, brick damage and drafting obstructions (debris) entering the flue.

The first step in addressing these issues with your chimney is to have it inspected by a professional. Keenan Masonry offers free drone inspections of the exterior masonry of your chimney and provides a free assessment and estimate for the proposed repairs. 

The most common repairs performed on a chimney will be crown replacement, re-pointing, brick replacement and complete rebuilding of a chimney. 

Crown replacement, repointing and brick replacement are typically performed in conjunction with one another. When a chimney is approximately 20-40 years old it is extremely common for the chimney crown to need replacement and the remainder of the chimney to need repointing and brick replacement in problem areas. Keenan Masonry offers the highest quality chimney crown replacement process. Below is an example of a before and after of our formed in place crown process. With a crown replacement by one of our technicians your chimney will be protected for decades to come. 

When repairing your chimney is deemed not possible during inspection a rebuild of your chimney is recommended. The freeze thaw cycles in our climate can be particularly harsh on your chimney. The average lifespan of a chimney is New England is about 40 years. Repairs get more difficult when past this threshold. If your chimney has significant spalling or cracking of the brick, loose brick and mortar or has started to lean away from the house it is time to consider rebuilding. Below are before and after examples of chimneys in this condition below as well as a proper chimney detail. 

Keenan Masonry has decades of experience constructing and rebuilding chimneys in New England. We have the generational knowledge to tackle even the most difficult and complicated rebuilds including ground up rebuilds, smoke chamber and firebox rebuilds, leaning chimney rebuilds etc. 

All chimneys rebuilt by our team will be built with time tested materials which hold up in our New England climate and have the proper chimney crown installed with a stainless-steel cap. Additionally we install a new lead flashing at the roofline which is properly woven into roof shingles. We leave no detail unattended in our process to ensure that your chimney will be safe and will stand the test of time.