Tuckpointing the chimney on your home in River Run
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
- Earlier repointing popping out in strips
- Small holes and voids in the joints
- Caulk pushed into open joints
- Joint profile worn flat or recessed
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Getting chimney mortar joints right in River Run
Why repointing mortar is mixed drier
Mortar for laying brick is wetter than mortar for repointing. Federal preservation guidance explains that a drier mix is cleaner to work, packs tightly into the joint and cures with fewer shrinkage cracks. Brick industry guidance describes a similar consistency.
A wet mix smears across the brick faces and slumps in the joint. We aim for mortar stiff enough to press firmly into place. If you watch the work, it looks slower than bricklaying, and that is intended. Packing a stiff mix well is what makes the joint dense.
Covering the flue when the cap comes off
Repointing the top courses sometimes means lifting the rain cap for access. That leaves the flue open to rain and debris while the work continues.
Whenever the cap is off and we stop for the day, the flue opening gets a cover until we return. The cap goes back on once the top joints are finished. If its fixings are worn or the cap is damaged, we tell you, and replacing it is priced as a separate item. The joint scope itself does not change because the cap came off.
A stucco-covered chimney has no joints to repoint
Some masonry chimneys are finished with stucco over brick or block. The mortar joints are hidden behind that finish, so there is nothing to repoint from the outside. Cracks in the stucco are a stucco repair question.
We confirm how your chimney is finished during the inspection. If brick is exposed on part of it, such as the stack above the roof, those joints can be assessed on their own. Stucco work and joint work are kept on separate lines, each with its own method.
One chimney face worse than the others
One face of a chimney can show far more joint wear than the rest. That face may take more rain, dry more slowly or sit below a failing part of the crown or cap. The pattern is a clue.
We compare the faces during the inspection and look for what makes the worst one different. The repointing may focus on that face, and the cause above it may need its own repair. We explain both, so the new joints are not worn down the same way.
Joint repair items on a written estimate
- Joint dampening before new mortar
- Pre-hydrated mortar placed in thin layers
- Joint profile that sheds water
- Cleanup and haul-away of old mortar
Your chimney tuckpointing questions
Does tuckpointing stop water getting into the chimney?
It can, when open joints are the path water takes. Water also enters through the crown, cap, flashing or cracked brick. We explain what the joints contribute, and when this job calls for a hose water test we tell you why.
Do you match the new mortar to the brick or the old mortar?
Both matter. The mortar should suit the brick, which means softer and more permeable than the units and no harder than the original mix. Its color and texture are matched to the existing joints so the repair blends in.
Will you repoint the joints inside my firebox as well?
Firebox joints use refractory mortar and belong to firebox repair, a separate service. Chimney tuckpointing covers the exterior masonry. If both need work, each is priced on its own line so you can decide.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Chimney Cap Installation and ReplacementProtect the chimney opening with a cap chosen for its fit, attachment and compatible system.
- Gas Fireplace Repair and ServiceGet a model-specific gas fireplace service plan for the fault you are seeing or the maintenance your unit needs.
- Top-Sealing Damper InstallationFit a top-mounted damper only after checking the fireplace, product restrictions and control route.
- Prefab and Zero-Clearance Fireplace RepairIdentify and repair manufactured fireplace components using the appropriate model information.
- Chimney Chase Cover ReplacementReplace the chase top with a properly planned cover and clearly defined pipe connections.
Proudly American
Local service. Careful repairs. A fireplace worth coming home to.
Call Now (645) 465-4171We received your request
Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo