Let us help you understand how the chimney works.
Diagram of a Chimney
Mouse over on the chimney image and click the area you want to see.
Water Proofing
Why do we recommend waterproofing chimneys? Brick chimneys are not naturally water proof, but porous and allow rain water to soak through to the inside of the chimney and then into the fire place. This moisture can cause flaking or "spalling" of the chimney brick and can also damage the interior lining of your chimney or corrode the metal damper as well. The high grade clear siloxane sealant that we apply onto the outside of your chimney is the best available, and will prevent these problems from occurring.
Crown
Often misunderstood as a “cap”, the crown is the cover at the top of a chimney chase, not the cap itself. It is very important to maintain this covering at the top of the chimney for its structural integrity and to prevent water damage from occurring inside of the chase. We have several specialized tools and products to provide your crowns with long term results. We can also resurface or replace metal chase covers where needed on prefabricated chimney chases. This is a picture of a masonry crown that needed to be recoated for moisture control and to prevent further deterioration.
Stainless Steel Relining
The inside of your chimney is one of the following; unlined brick, terracotta lined, stainless steel lined as in the case of a prefabricated fireplace. Our number one concern is that your chimney liner is safe for the application you are using it for (wood burning, vented gas logs, etc.). We are able to inspect, service, repair, and provide solutions for all your chimney needs. This picture is a before and after of a stainless steel liner installation to provide for safe usage of the fireplace. We also do "Heatshield cerfractory" joint repair of existing terra cotta lined masonry chimneys.
Smoke Chamber & Parging
The smoke chamber area of a fireplace is from the top of the firebox to the bottom of the flue liner. This area is one of the most important and potentially dangerous areas in a chimney and must be properly addressed for the application it is being used for. The smoke chamber is often not up to current code standards and could pose potential fire hazards. It can often be made fire ready for both wood or gas fires with a parging of the smoke chamber. Using appropriate material, tools, and techniques this parging of the smoke chamber will cover the corbeled brick, cracks, and gaps. This can increase safety while decreasing the turbulence of the smoke path in your smoke chamber. You can see here where it can make a big difference!
Tuck Pointing
We inspect your firebox for cracks and gaps. Often we find lintel or face gaps that have occurred due to settling of the chimney; or loose mortar and bricks from loading wood into the fireplace. This firebox was rebuilt and painted for safety and to allow better visibility of the flames.
