The mortar and bricks of chimneys have to bear the constant wear and tear. The outdoor elements like wind, heat, humidity, rain and snow toll the chimney all around the year.  A chimney inspection by a certified chimney technician is all you need to determine when your chimney requires masonry repair.

Chimney Masonry Repair

Brick chimneys are usually called masonry chimneys. Mortar and bricks are used for masonry chimney construction. The cement-like material which is filled between the joints of bricks is called mortar.

Water is the worst enemy of chimney because the bricks and mortar are highly porous materials and can easily infiltrate the moisture. Also, the freezing temperatures are hazardous for chimneys because the water gets trapped in the chimney bricks and then freeze and expand the bricks. This damages the bricks and mortar of the chimney. However, chimney experts say that chimney cap installation can prevent water from getting into the chimney.

If you burn wood in your fireplace, then gases liberated by wood fire are acidic in nature. They can cause potential damage to the mortar and bricks of masonry chimneys. Thus, to avoid expensive chimney repair, installation of chimney liners is must. Chimney liners are protective shield made up of stainless steel, concrete or clay. Liners are installed inside the chimney to prevent the direct contact of acidic gases, water and snow with the brick structure of the chimney.

Expert advice on chimney repair

Homeowners should get their chimneys inspected annually. When trained chimney contractors examine chimneys, they will bulge out the hidden cracks, blockages, broken bricks and deteriorated mortar. If these anomalies are not detected at the right time, then they could result dangerous problems. Chimney experts say that the mortar and brick structure of the chimney should be repaired timely; otherwise they will aggravate the problems.

You should always consider hiring certified chimney technician or chimney contractor for the chimney repair job. If you don’t have any knowledge of chimney sweeping, then please, don’t undertake chimney repair or cleaning work. It requires technical knowledge, right tools and equipment to clean and repair chimneys from inside out. Thus, only a professional can do this task.