All About Rebuilding A Chimney

Does your chimney look like its best days are in the rearview mirror? Are there cracks, holes, and missing bricks in the exterior masonry? When a chimney doesn’t receive annual inspections, professional sweeping, and repairs or replacement of essential components, the chimney and venting system can decline rapidly. A significant event like a tornado, hurricane, flooding, or earthquake can cause extensive damage requiring a rebuild. To prevent a potentially catastrophic partial or complete structural collapse, which can cause severe damage to your roof and home, consider rebuilding the chimney.

Does My Chimney Need a Rebuild?

So, when does your chimney need rebuilding? Typically, your chimney will need to be rebuilt when the brick and mortar or stone masonry has more damage than a tuckpointing, repointing, or individual brick or stone repair can fix.
Here are some of the signs your chimney may need to be rebuilt:

• Severe chimney crown damage.
• The chimney is leaning.
• The chimney is missing bricks.
• Spalling bricks (chipping, flaking, and crumbling).
• Large holes or gaps in the joints.
• There are pieces of brickwork lying on the ground or in the firebox.

Types of Chimney Rebuilding

Rebuilding a chimney doesn’t necessarily mean that the original structure must be completely torn down and rebuilt. Instead, the skilled masons at Advanced Chimney perform the two types of chimney rebuilding services:

Partial rebuilding:

This is our most common repair. We generally recommend a partial rebuild when the damage is limited to a small masonry section such as the chimney breast, crown, stack (above the roof line), or firebox.

Complete rebuilding:

A complete chimney rebuilding from the ground up will be necessary when it has severe damage, is not structurally safe, or is in danger of collapsing. This process requires removing the original structure and preserving any reusable components. Our skilled masons and certified technicians will rebuild the chimney using high-quality masonry materials and components to NFPA and local building, fire, and safety codes.

Saving Your Chimney from Rebuilding

The best way to save your chimney from a partial or complete rebuild is simple and affordable: Having annual inspections and professional sweeping. We can’t stress the importance of these periodic check-ups to prolong the lifespan of your chimney and fireplace. It also gives us the advantage of uncovering minor problems BEFORE they escalate to the point where we are discussing rebuilding the chimney to prevent a structural collapse.

Chimney Rebuilding & Restoration Services

Protect your chimney from a partial or complete collapse that can cause extensive damage to your home with a professional chimney inspection. After examining your chimney, we’ll review the best options for rebuilding and restoring it to its original glory.

Advanced Chimney Sweep provides certified chimney inspections, repairs, rebuilding, and restoration services in the Central Augusta River Area (CSRA) and South Carolina Midlands region, including Beaufort, SC; Columbia, SC; Thunderbolt, GA; and Vidalia, GA. Call (803) 508-3990 or (706) 833-4630 today to schedule an appointment, or contact us online.