Raking and repointing chimney joints in Melrose Manors
Repointing mortar should be softer than the brick, and we explain the mix we choose.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Clues that the chimney mortar is failing
- Small holes and voids in the joints
- White deposits that keep coming back
- Stepped cracks following the mortar lines
- Caulk pushed into open joints
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Mortar joint work behind a drier chimney
Joints on the stack above the roofline
Above the roofline, a chimney stands in the open with no wall or eave to shelter any face. Brick industry maintenance guidance notes that chimneys, caps and copings face harsher exposure than ordinary walls. Their joints can need attention sooner as a result.
When we inspect, the stack above the roof gets the closest look. Joints there can fail while those lower on the chimney are still sound. We explain whether the repointing should focus on that section and price it separately from any work lower down.
Deciding on joint work after your inspection
There is no charge for the inspection itself. Say yes to the repointing, or any other service on the estimate, before 72 hours have passed since your free inspection. Then 10% comes off the work you book.
Those hours count from your own visit. Use them to read the marked areas, compare the mortar options and put any question to us by phone or in writing. A decision made with the full picture is worth more to both of us than a rushed one.
Repointing every joint in an affected area
It is hard to tell exactly which joints let water in. Brick industry maintenance guidance therefore suggests repointing all the joints in the affected area rather than picking out single joints. A joint that looks sound beside failed ones may be next.
We mark the affected area and explain where its boundary falls. The boundary usually follows the damage and the way water moves across that face. Joints well outside it stay untouched. You see the marked area before approving, so the extent does not come as a surprise.
No raking until you approve the scope
No mortar comes out of your chimney until you have approved the estimate. It describes each area, the method, the mortar and the price. Take the time you need, or get a second view.
After approval, we set a date and explain how the day will run. Should the raking expose something unexpected, such as a cracked brick or failure deeper than it looked, work on that spot pauses while we show you. The agreed scope stays fixed unless you approve a change. That holds for every item, however minor it looks on the day.
Joint repair items on a written estimate
- Pre-hydrated mortar placed in thin layers
- Joint profile that sheds water
- Separate line for damaged brick units
- Upfront price for each repointing area
Repointing answers for Melrose Manors
How do you decide which chimney joints need repointing?
We look at every face and test suspect joints by scraping lightly with a metal tool. Eroded, crumbling, hollow or cracked mortar is marked, along with cracks where mortar has let go of the brick. The estimate shows the areas we propose.
Can you repoint only the worst joints on the chimney?
Sometimes. Where damage is confined, spot repointing can be sensible. Brick industry guidance also suggests repointing every joint in an affected area, because it is hard to tell which joints admit water. We explain the boundary we recommend.
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.
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Local service. Careful repairs. A fireplace worth coming home to.
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Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo