You may have heard that masonry chimneys are built to last a lifetime; however, over the years, the constant exposure to the elements of weather can cause damage and deterioration. Having damaged chimney masonry repaired promptly is crucial to keep your chimney’s structure safe and sound. Once a brick or mortar joint is cracked, the deterioration can worsen quickly. This is especially true over a long and cold winter season.
If you have noticed cracked, loose, or missing bricks and mortar joints on the exterior of your chimney, Aelite Chimney Specialties can help to restore the soundness of your chimney with our professional masonry chimney repair services, including techniques like tuckpointing.
What exactly is tuckpointing?
This masonry technique is used to remove damaged mortar joints and to tuck in new mortar with specialized pointed tools. It is also known as pointing and repointing. According to The Balance, this labor-intensive project should always be done by certified and experienced professional masonry technicians.
Why is tuckpointing so labor-intensive?
Before Aelite Chimney Specialties can begin the actual tuckpointing work, we must first properly assess the situation of your chimney. We need to see exactly how many of the mortar joints need to be replaced. The next step is this process is analyzing the existing mortar joints to be able to custom mix new mortar that is as close as possible to the color and consistency of the existing mortar. We take pride in our ability to make chimney masonry repairs that are indistinguishable from the existing structure. We always use a durable Portland cement-based mortar mix that will keep your chimney safe and sound for years to come.
How can I best prevent future chimney masonry damage?
After our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney technicians make all of the necessary tuckpointing repairs. We can help you protect your chimney with several preventive services. The most important thing to remember is how damaging water is to the bricks and mortar joints of your chimney. We offer chimney cap sales and professional installation services, and we also provide customized flashing construction and repair services. Both of these chimney components work to keep water from rain, ice, and snow from getting into your chimney’s opening on the roof of your home. We also recommend having your chimney professionally waterproofed to create a barrier against water penetration of your entire chimney. We only use waterproofing formulas that are 100 percent vapor permeable. This helps prevent erosion damage for up to a decade.
Keep the structure of your chimney safe and sound. Contact us at Aelite Chimney Specialties to schedule an appointment for our tuckpointing services, along with our other professional chimney repair and maintenance work.