While the antique look is still popular the old and dirty look is not. Unfortunately, your chimney can start to look unpleasant from deterioration over time, but this is something that can be fixed. To learn more about getting your masonry chimney as good as new call Mason’s Chimney Service.

What causes your chimney to need restoration?

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Since your chimney is exposed to all of the weather conditions throughout the year, it will begin to crack and crumble. Usually this will start in the mortar between bricks, or the bricks themselves. One of the main reasons this happens is from the freezing and thawing of precipitation during the winter season. If you haven’t already had your chimney waterproofed, you should talk about it with your chimney technician.

How do you restore a chimney?

If you are someone who has worked with chimneys before, you can probably do this at home. However, it is always recommended that you have a professional do your inspections and repairs. For restorations you will need to either repoint the mortar or replace the bricks.

Replacing Damaged Bricks

The first thing you need to do is measure the size of the brick that you are replacing and if you need to cut them. After you have your brick sized, chisel the mortar around the existing brick to a half-inch, and then continue to remove about an inch at a time. It is important to keep the area clean as you work. Then pull out the bricks as they become loose. It is important to not remove too many as it can make the structure weak and unsafe. You should then make only enough mortar mix to last about 15 to 20 minutes so it does not dry out. To install the new brick dampen it with a sponge and apply the mortar to the empty spot with an amount equal to what was previously there. Lastly, put mortar around the sides of the brick and insert it into its new space. Then scrape away any excess and allow proper try time.

Repointing Crumbled Mortar

This process is much easier than replacing bricks. First, chisel away all of the old mortar and clean the area. All that is left to do is mix the mortar, squeeze into old joints, and allow time to dry.