Free Estimate
Charmed Chimney provides all of the chimney repair services listed below, including chimney rebuilds, waterproofing, and, brick repointing. Call us today and we will be happy to give a free estimate on any one of these jobs or answer any questions you may have.
Stainless Steel Chimney Caps
Chimney caps prevent animals, rainwater, leaves, and any type of debris from entering your chimney through the opening at the top. A chimney cap is one of the most sensible investments a homeowner can make regarding their chimney.
New Crowns and Flex Seal
Damaged chimney crowns are one of the leading causes of masonry chimneys falling into disrepair. If left unattended, even minor cracking will cause deterioration by allowing rainwater to penetrate the masonry of the chimney. A newly poured chimney crown or flexible seal coating your best bet for preventing costly chimney repairs in the future.
Furnaces, Boilers and Water Heaters
Whether your chimney flue is damaged, deteriorated or simply has poor draft, a stainless steel chimney liner from Charmed Chimney is the solution to the problem. Over time, the combination of moisture and corrosive gases can take a toll on the lining of a chimney. One sign that a chimney liner may need to be replaced is melted plastic at the top of a water heater due to the hot flue gasses are not drafting and spilling out of the vent. Another sign could be a carbon monoxide detector that is going off on a regular basis.
By having your chimney relined, you will not only increase the efficiency of your furnace, boiler or water heater, but more importantly, you can rest assured that hazardous gases are vented properly and the masonry of the chimney will remain sound.
Fireplaces and Woodstoves
Since the beginning of the 20th century most masonry fireplaces have been built with terra cotta flue tiles. These tiles act as a lining for the fireplace flue but overtime they can become cracked shifted or develop gaps in between the tiles. When this happens creosote can become caught in between the gaps and cracks and removing this creosote during a normal cleaning can be difficult to impossible.
A stainless steel chimney liner will ensure that the smoke from your fireplace will safely exit your home. Additionally, as stainless steel liners are completely enclosed and uniform systems, cleaning them will result in much more creosote removal.
New Brick and Mortar
When a chimney has been exposed to the elements, suffered structural damage, or recently experienced a chimney fire, the damage is often times beyond repair. At this point the chimney must be rebuilt, either from the roofline or the ground up. Charmed Chimney employs experienced masons for such a task. Chimney rebuilds can be the most expensive service that a chimney company provides. We will make sure a chimney requires a rebuild before work is initiated to ensure there are no other less expensive options (such as chimney repointing).
Unnecessary chimney rebuilds are how many companies make a large portion of their revenue. For this reason it is imperative that a homeowner get a second inspection and estimate for all chimney rebuild recommendations.
Top Sealing Dampers
When your fireplace throat damper no longer operates in an effective manner, a good, inexpensive solution is the installation of a top sealing damper.
Dampers function more efficiently by sealing off the flue from the top, preventing heat and air conditioning loss from your home.
A damper works as a seal between the outside elements and the inside of a home when a chimney is not in use.
Free Quote on Waterproofing Today
Chimneys are exposed to all types of weather and as a result can be susceptible to structural deterioration. Once water has penetrated the masonry of a chimney, freezing and thawing can cause brick spalling, deteriorated mortar joints, and ultimately chimney rebuilds.
Waterproofing a chimney can save thousands of dollars in repairs. Our waterproofing provides up to 10 times the protection of typical sealers while maintaining the masonry's breathability.
Tuckpointing
Chimney repointing is the process of reinforcing cracked or missing mortar (typically from the roofline up) due to the mortar becoming degraded over time. This is often easy to see with the naked eye as there will be broken mortar joints around the base of your chimney.
The most common reason that mortar becomes damaged is due to rainwater penetrating the masonry of the chimney.
Water undergoes many freeze and thaw cycles (expansion and contraction), which can damage the integrity of mortar. Due to the expansion, mortar will eventually start to crumble, compromising the integrity of the entire chimney.
As chimney mortar degrades further, the rate of deterioration will often increase as the crumbling mortar is no longer acting as an effective support for the bricks. It is for this reason that degraded or missing mortar must be reinforced with new mortar to prevent complete failure of the structure of the chimney and avoiding an expensive tear down and rebuild.
Flashing Sealant
If you have noticed ceiling leaks in the vicinity of your chimney, you may need the chimney flashing repaired. Flashing is exterior metal plating that prevents water from entering a house by acting as a barrier between the chimney and roof.
Flashing can become damaged due to exposure to the elements. If this happens water related damages may occur including mold, damaged dry wall, and wood rot. The damage is usually significantly more expensive to repair than what it would have cost to have the chimney flashing repaired beforehand.
We inspect all flashing during chimney inspections to ensure water is not entering your home. Any damage to the flashing can usually be resealed with either silicone or FlashSeal, a substance much like roofing tar. If damage is extensive, the flashing may need to be replaced with rust-resistant copper. Fortunately, this is one of the least expensive type of repairs.
Stainless Steel or Galvanized Chase Tops
Pre-fabricated fireplaces and chimneys are typically assembled on-site at the time a house is built. Chimneys of these type are covered with siding and have a chase top which sits directly above the opening of the chimney.
The chase top is a cover that allows water to run off the top of the chimney, however, they are often built using aluminum which rusts over time. As the rust progresses, small holes can form in the chase top allowing water to enter.
When this happens a chase must be replaced. We use stainless steel chase top covers that carry a lifetime warranty against rust and corrosion.
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Call Charmed Chimney at (443) 286-9337.