The chimney is a very important part of any home with a fireplace. Its purpose is to expel smoke and pollutants from the fire away from the home. It’s important to maintain your chimney, ensuring that it’s doing its job properly and can withstand the elements. Services like chimney repointing are part of a good chimney maintenance routine.
Signs That Your Chimney Needs Repointing
There are a few telltale signs that your chimney needs a bit of care and attention. If you can see that the mortar has changed colour, is crumbling or flaking, then it’s time to get it repointed. However, it’s not always easy to get a good view of your chimney, so it’s worth carrying out a few more inspections about the home.
If you notice rust around your fireboxes or damper, this indicates that there may be excess moisture in the chimney. Other signs that the chimney is damp could be damaged paint or wallpaper next to the chimney breast.
What Is The Process Of Chimney Repointing?
To start with, the old and crumbling mortar is removed. If there’s some damage to the bricks, this can also be removed, so long as its not extensive. Next, the hollowed out areas are cleaned thoroughly in preparation for the new mortar. The new mortar is applied by hand, to ensure no further damage occurs to the chimney. Repointing will make your chimney appear like new, as the fresh layer of mortar will smooth out the edges nicely.
How Often Should Your Chimney Be Repointed?
This is a service that shouldn’t need doing very often. Every 30 years or so, you may need to get your chimney repointed. Of course, being exposed to the elements means that your chimney could suffer unexpected damage from storms and poor weather conditions. Therefore, you should still carry out regular inspections, even if it’s not been long since you last repointed.
Repointing will only be able to fix a certain amount of damage. If there’s extensive problems with your chimney stack, you will be better off seeking a chimney rebuild to ensure that your home is not put at risk. An unstable chimney can cause a lot of damage if it falls, which will be much more expensive to repair than a simple rebuild.
For Chimney Repointing & Repairs, Choose SJ Chimneys
We’re experts at chimney maintenance. So, if your chimney needs a little care and attention, give us a call. We’d be happy to carry out repointing, relining or rebuilding at a very reasonable price.
