Unfortunately, many people have chimneys with damaged or crumbling mortar, which need repair before things worsen.
Your chimney masonry is strong and durable, but it needs to be properly taken care of for it to last a long time. Unfortunately, many people have chimneys with damaged or crumbling mortar, which need chimney repair before things worsen. How can a chimney inspection help catch problems, and what should you do if your chimney is crumbling?
What Are the Causes of a Crumbling Chimney?
A chimney inspection can determine the exact reasons why you need chimney repair, but a variety of things can contribute to crumbling masonry. Some of the most common problems are:
- Lightning strikes
- Earthquakes
- Hail or other severe storms
- The freeze-thaw cycle
- Extreme heat or cold
- Poor bricks and mortar used in building the chimney
- Bad construction practices
Allowing the crumbling of the mortar or masonry to worsen can lead to serious problems and permanent damage to your chimney that will be incredibly expensive to repair.
Schedule a Chimney Inspection
You should always schedule a chimney inspection when you have a crumbling chimney. During your inspection, they will closely examine your chimney masonry and determine whether or not you need chimney repair. Some of the most common issues that can be discovered that might be contributing to your masonry damage include:
- White stains on the bricks, which are an indicator that water is entering the bricks
- Crumbling mortar, which can indicate bigger problems with structural instability that should be immediately addressed
- Cracks and chips, which can show that the masonry itself is damaged
- Leaning in the chimney, which is a major hazard that should be promptly dealt with
- Debris coming from the mortar or brick, which indicates that water damage might be present
Depending on the severity of the issue, you may need tuckpointing, brick replacement, chimney crown repair, chimney sealing, or chimney rebuilding.
Schedule Your Chimney Cleaning from Champion Chimneys, Inc.
When you need a trusted company for your chimney inspection and chimney cleaning, you can trust our team. Champion Chimneys, Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured chimney service company that has served customers in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland, since 2001. Our team is trained and certified by Certified Chimney Professionals, Inc. (CCP, Inc.). We specialize in all aspects of your chimney system. Whether you need chimney and flue cleaning service or a full chimney rebuild or inspection, contact us at 443-Chimney today and let us fix all your chimney problems. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.