Chimney mortar repair done joint by joint in South Middle River

Joint conditions that call for repointing

Brick industry maintenance guidance lists the joint conditions that usually call for repointing. We look for each of them on every face of the chimney.

When a face shows these conditions, we mark the area and explain whether the damage is local or spread across the chimney. The pattern also hints at where water is coming from.

• Mortar eroded back from the brick face
• Mortar that crumbles or has voids
• Hairline cracks through the joints
• Cracks where mortar has separated from brick

Why no one mortar suits every chimney

Two chimneys that look alike can need different repointing mortar. One may be built of hard, dense brick and another of softer units that absorb water readily. The original mortar may be lime-rich or cement-rich.

Brick industry guidance asks that mortar be checked for compatibility with the units and the application, not picked from habit. We look at the brick and the existing joints before choosing. You hear the reasoning, so the mortar on your estimate is a decision rather than a default.

Stepped cracks that follow the joints

A crack that zigzags up through the mortar joints can mean the chimney has moved. Brick industry maintenance guidance treats structural cracks as needing their own investigation rather than routine repointing. Filling them without knowing why they formed can hide ongoing movement.

We look at where the crack starts, how wide it is and whether bricks on either side have shifted. The same guidance lists stepped cracks among the signs of a structural issue, so we explain that the cause needs investigating first. Repointing is planned after that answer, not instead of it.

Cleanup and removal of the old mortar

Raked mortar, dust and broken pieces are collected as the work goes on, not left on the roof or in the beds below. When the job is done, the area is cleaned and the debris is hauled away with us.

Mortar smears on the brick are brushed off while they are soft. Paths and roof surfaces near the chimney are swept. If anything was moved to give us access, we put it back or tell you where it is. You should find the site as tidy as we found it, with new joints in the chimney.