Did the freezing temperatures we experienced this past winter cause deterioration to the exterior of your masonry chimney? Winter weather often leads to spalling damage. Masonry materials like bricks and mortar are porous and absorb water. When the temperature falls below 32 degrees, the water trapped inside masonry materials freezes and expands, and when this frozen water thaws, it causes the bricks and mortar to crack and break apart. While this is the most common reason for masonry repair, other causes include weathering, earthquake damage, poor workmanship, and negligence, according to WiseGeek, an informational website. If the exterior of your chimney suffered spalling damage and needs masonry repair work done, it is important to find a company experienced in the different types of masonry restoration, like Blue Ridge Chimney Services. Spring is a great time to do this work because you do not want to procrastinate repairing any exterior chimney deterioration. Our masons know how to do each type of this repair work, and we would like to tell you more about two of the most common masonry repairs.
- Tuck Pointing – Tuck pointing is a common type of masonry restoration. It is the process of removing damaged and deteriorating mortar in masonry joints, and then restoring those joints with new materials. While it is certainly a painstaking process, tuck pointing is made even more complicated when an older house is involved. Today’s mortar materials are much different in terms of hardness and permeability when compared to the bricks and mortars of years’ past. Experienced masons like the ones at Blue Ridge Chimney Services know to think about what the original materials where when dealing with an older home. They can’t use newer materials because it would leave the chimney structure unsound. New technology and older materials don’t always work well together. Our technicians make sure the repairs are invisible and strong enough to last for years.
- Chimney Crown Restoration – Since your chimney crown sits atop your chimney to protect it from the elements and animals, it is completely exposed to rain and snow, which causes water erosion damage. The sun causes more damage from the constant heat exposure. After years of these types of damage, your chimney crown starts to crack and spalling begins to occur. When this happens, repair is a top priority because you do not want water leaking into your chimney and penetrating into your masonry joints as this will cause even more problems. Blue Ridge Chimney Services has years of experience working with chimney crown restoration, and we can recommend a couple of different approaches, depending on the condition of your crown. If you have minimal damage, our technicians can apply a crown coat repair, a flexible sealant which covers the entire crown, that will seal all cracks and create a waterproof barrier. If the damage is more expensive, we will most likely have to construct a new chimney crown for you; however, with our knowledge and experience, we can build a crown to last a lifetime as well as coat the new crown with a waterproof sealant to protect it from rain and snow.
For more information about the different types of exterior masonry chimney repairs we provide, contact Blue Ridge Chimney Services. Our expert staff is ready to get your chimney back in shape this spring.