Your chimney masonry was created using special materials and construction techniques so that it would withstand extreme conditions. However, no matter how well your chimney was constructed, there are many things that could still affect the health of it. At Leonard and Sons, we’ve seen about everything when it comes to masonry issues in our over 60 years in the chimney and masonry industry. We think it’s important that we help our clients learn how to identify issues related to masonry health. Being able to identify a masonry issue before it gets out of hand could end up saving you lots of time, money and headaches. Let us help you understand some of the more common masonry issues that we come across.
Moisture and Your Masonry
Water causes a lot of different masonry issues. If water sits on your masonry, it can be absorbed into the tiny pores of your brickwork. It then settles insides of your masonry. This water will slowly erode the inside of your masonry. The process is sped up if temperatures freeze, as freezing causes the water to expand. This cycle causes damage every year to many homes.
One of the best ways to protect your chimney from moisture damage is to make sure that you have proper protections in place. A chimney’s cap and chimney’s crown protects the masonry from rain, sleet, and snow. If either one of these components is damaged or missing, it needs to be repaired. Failure to address these issues quickly leaves your chimney vulnerable to water intrusion. At Leonard and Sons, our chimney experts can inspect your chimney crown and cap for issues.
Crumbling Mortar Joints
Mortar is the hard white cement-like substance used to hold your brickwork together. Over time, exposure to heat, ice, and rain may cause your mortar to weaken and crumble. This can cause bricks to become loose and sometimes become totally detached.
If you examine your masonry and you notice any crumbling or missing mortar, we here at Leonard and Sons can help. We use a procedure called tuckpointing where we carefully remove old mortar and replaced with new mortar. Leonard and Sons started out as a tuckpointing business in 1966. With that many years of experience repairing masonry, it’s no wonder why we are considered Chicagoland’s number one masonry experts.
Other Masonry Issues
If you notice any other issues with your masonry such as chipping, stains, cracking, etc… there may be a number of different reasons why this is happening. At Leonard & Sons, our expert masons have seen just about everything when it comes to masonry issues. We can help analyze and repair your masonry. If you’re in need of a masonry inspection, call us today at 847-658-7659 or schedule an appointment online with one of our expert masons today.
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