This has been a bit of a rough summer with the rain storms and high winds. It has resulted in numerous homes needing brick chimney repair. Now, that’s not to say those with stone chimneys or chimney’s made of siding don’t need repair, because they certainly do. Let’s talk about what goes into a brick […]
What do Homeowners Need to Know About the Art of Chimney Tuckpointing
We all know what tuckpointing is all about. You can check your brick or stone home at anytime searching for missing mortar. That’s fairly easy. However, how often do you check the chimney, the highest point on your home? With the chimney braving all of the Chicago elements such as rain, high wind, hail, snow, […]
What Goes into a Chimney Tuckpointing Project?
Chimney tuckpointing is a great way to protect your home while giving it a clean, beautiful appearance. Sooner than later…brick or stone chimneys will need joints repaired and gaps filled where mortar has deteriorated or weakened with cracks and/or holes. Getting the highest point of your home repaired and maintained is important in order to […]
How Your Chimney Shows Signs of Being ‘Under the Weather’
Chicago weather… You never know what to expect. One minute we get reminded what sunshine looks like, and the next, 4-foot snow drifts up against the garage door. We spoke with a couple of our certified technicians as to what to look out for with all of the recent snow, sleet, freezing temperatures and the […]
Sorry Water, You’re Not Welcome Down My Chimney
This Spring and soon to be Summer season have been all about the rain. Now again, we’re getting remnants of tropical storm Cristobal (not the college football coach) merging with yet another storm. How much more of a beating can the chimney handle? We’ve talked about tuckpointing or repairing the masonry between the bricks, stone […]
Chimney Repairs – Do It Once. That’s It.
It’s the weekend again and our big activity is to take a walk around the neighborhood. People who you never see outside are now cutting the grass, cleaning out the gutters, or even washing windows. At least they are giving me something different to look at. I will admit, there was a house I walked […]
The Hardships of Being Chimney Tall. It’s Always First.
Our team of chimney technicians continue to be hard at work cleaning and inspecting chimney’s after the winter months. Winter can be hard on all of us, but it’s hardest on the chimney. The chimney is the tallest point on the house, it’s the first to get rained on, the first to break the wind, […]
Look Up at the Chimney
Today’s going to be a pretty nice day. While you clean up the yard for a bit of spring cleaning, be sure to check out your chimney. It’ll be bright enough outside to get a good look. What are you looking for? Mortar that’s missing between the bricks or stone Any cracks in the mortar […]
Winter Chimney & Fireplace Leaks
There are 2 key reasons why chimney’s leak in the winter:
Chimney Liner – Do you know if you have a chimney lining? If not, or if you are not sure, get your chimney inspected right away. If you do have a chimney liner, it may be the wrong size or it’s just seen better days. It’s best to have that inspected and taken care of.
Chimney Flashing – Water can sit in the flashing…then freeze…then thaw…then freeze again with the melted water making its way under the roof shingles and right into your home.
A Chimney Clean and Check in August? Why? Here’s 6 of 14 Reasons.
August is a big vacation month for families. It doesn’t always mean taking an airplane to Florida, it may mean a long weekend to a waterpark or even a staycation with get togethers’ with family and friends. As the month goes on, we begin to get the kids ready for school and try to get […]
