Brick chimney repair in Hoopeston

The chimney sits above the roof with nothing to shelter it. Rain hits it sideways, snow piles on top of it, and wind dries one side while the other stays wet. On an older house the chimney brick is often the softest brick on the place. Put that together with Illinois freeze and thaw and it is no surprise that chimneys are usually the first masonry on a house to need work.

Most chimney repairs are about the brick and the joints. Brick near the top that has worked loose or lost its face. Mortar joints that have sunk back, cracked or emptied out. Sections where the damage is bad enough that the brick needs to be taken down a few courses and relaid.

Repointing a chimney, done before the joints are completely gone, is one of the best things you can do for an old house. It is far cheaper than rebuilding later.

• Loose and flaking chimney brick
• Chimney tuckpointing
• Damaged courses taken down and relaid
• Masonry causes of chimney leaks

A water stain on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney means water is getting in somewhere. It might be through the brick and open joints. It might be the top of the chimney, if it has cracked. Or it might be the flashing where the chimney meets the roof, which is often roofing work rather than masonry.

Brian can usually tell from good photos which of those is most likely, and he will tell you if the fix is masonry or something else.

You do not need to climb on the roof. Stand back in the yard, or across the street, and look at it with binoculars or zoom in with your phone. Look at the top few feet first. Check for missing or loose brick, joints you can see into, flaking faces, white streaks running down, and whether the chimney looks straight.

Then go inside and look at the ceiling and walls around the chimney, and in the attic if you can get to it, for stains and damp spots.

If your chimney has started to lean or is pulling away from the house, treat it as serious. It can mean the footing under it has moved or the mortar has failed badly. Keep people away from the side it leans toward and get it looked at soon. Text a photo to (217) 549-2230.

Chimney repair is outdoor mortar work, and mortar needs to stay above about 40 degrees while it cures. Loose brick and open joints also get worse with every freeze. So the best time to fix a chimney is before winter. Send Brian a photo of the whole chimney and one zoomed in on the top, with your town.