Raking and repointing chimney joints in Allapattah
Joint repairs planned to protect the brick faces, backed by our workmanship warranty on the agreed work.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
When chimney joints start to give way
- Mortar eroded back from the brick face
- Joints that crumble when scraped
- Joint profile worn flat or recessed
- Water inside after rain on one side
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Chimney repointing in Allapattah, start to finish
Testing chimney joints by light scraping
Looking at a joint tells part of the story. Brick industry guidance adds a simple test, which is scraping the mortar lightly with a metal tool. Sound mortar resists. Weak mortar powders or comes away in grains.
We scrape suspect joints across each face rather than judging by color alone. Some joints look fine and are soft underneath, while others look worn and are still firm. The test lets us draw the repointing boundary around mortar that has actually failed, not around joints that only look old.
Joints and washes at the chimney shoulders
Where a chimney narrows as it rises, the brick steps back in shoulders. Brick industry guidance on chimney construction prefers solid brick on those steps and notes that mortar washes there may not last as well. Water sitting on a shoulder can soak into the joints below.
We check the shoulders for cracked washes, open joints and exposed brick cores. Repointing the joints helps, but a failed wash or exposed cores may need their own repair. We explain the difference and keep each item separate on the estimate.
Film coatings over repointed brick
Some coatings form a film on the brick surface. Brick industry guidance on clear coatings explains that film formers can stop water getting in but also slow drying through the face. Moisture held behind the film can lead to clouding and spalling.
We do not recommend a film-forming coat over newly repointed brick. If your chimney already has one that is peeling, we explain how it affects the joint work and whether it should come off. Any coating decision is kept separate from the repointing itself.
Joints that reopen in the same place
A joint that cracks again soon after repointing has a cause worth finding. The mortar may have been too hard, the joint too shallow, or the wall may still be moving or getting wet in that spot.
We look at the pattern before repeating any repair. A single line of repeated cracking can point to movement. Scattered failures near the top can point to water from above. We explain which pattern your chimney shows and what should be addressed before those joints are renewed again.
Inside a chimney repointing proposal
- Joint survey on every chimney face
- Dust cleared from the raked joints
- Curing care for the new joints
- Written record of faces and joints renewed
Mortar joint repair answers
How deep are the old joints raked out?
Deep enough to reach sound mortar, to an even depth that relates to the joint width, as brick industry guidance describes. Shallow raking leaves new mortar too thin to hold, which is one reason earlier repointing sometimes falls out.
What does sandy grit at the chimney base tell you?
Grit collecting at the base or on the roof can come from mortar washing out of the joints. It is a useful clue rather than a diagnosis. We check the joints above it and look for the water that is eroding them.
Does the workmanship warranty cover tuckpointing in Allapattah?
Yes. The joints we renew under the agreed scope carry our workmanship warranty. The written record lists the faces and areas repointed, which helps if you notice anything about the chimney later on.
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Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo