Over time, your chimney and fireplace can become worn and damaged due to weather and moisture. We highly recommend regular maintenance to avoid an expensive chimney repair down the line.
Often we can restore a chimney with some basic repairs such as spot tuckpointing, sealing, or minor chimney brick replacement.
However, it is very important to address water damage and chimney brick flaking early on. If your chimney is not properly maintained and cared for then more severe (and costly) repairs may be needed.
As your #1 choice for stone and brick restorations in the Duluth, Minnesota, area and along the north shore, we inspect, clean, and service chimneys of all sizes.
A broken chimney does not mean you can never use your chimney again. Both structural and design issues are repairable with the right tools and experts bringing the project together.
But it’s very important to call a chimney repair company like Alliance Masonry right away for an expert assessment.
If a problem has been identified and a method of repair needs to be determined, a chimney inspection will be done as the first course of action.
Fortunately, our team of experienced chimney repair technicians can resolve all types of damage and malfunction a chimney may experience.
Some examples of chimney issues we can address and repairs we can make:
To be sure that all of your systems are in working order and operating as they should, it is recommended that homeowners get an annual chimney inspection.
Most homeowners opt to have a chimney sweeping done every year as well, especially if they use their fireplace on a regular basis. Don’t risk the chance that an undiscovered defect could turn into an expensive repair or — worse yet — a chimney fire.
There are numerous advantages to hiring chimney masonry experts like those at Alliance Masonry to inspect and repair your brick chimney. Among them:
Call us at 218-591-8039 to schedule an appointment or click the button below.
Tuckpointing describes the restoration of brick buildings by removing deteriorated, damaged and missing mortar between brick and other masonry joints and replacing it with lime-based mortar.
Over the years, rain and wind slowly breakdown the mortar between bricks. If it gets totally destroyed, or becomes too thin, it can result in bricks shifting and a weight imbalance in your chimney. When done correctly, tuckpointing will ensure the structural integrity, longevity, and your brick building or chimney.
Spot tuckpointing is the process of tuckpointing, but on a smaller scale. It involves addressing only the major open holes and settling cracks in an otherwise solid wall or side of a chimney.
Fundamentally it’s just plugging up holes to prevent rapid deterioration. The amount of tuckpointing that will need to be done depends on your roof layout and how much contact the chimney has with water.
Flaking brick occurs when moisture seeps into a brick and then goes through the freeze/thaw cycle. Over time this water damage causes the bricks to crumble, flake, and even pop out of the chimney. What may only seem like a cosmetic problem is actually a health and safety issue that should be addressed immediately.