For Masonry Pointing Services, Turn to Mason’s Chimney Service
Chips, cracks, and loose or missing mortar in your masonry chimney aren’t just unsightly – that damage is limiting your chimney’s ability to do its job right. If not addressed, this deterioration could lead to costly repairs down the line, from fixing water damage in your home’s interior to completely replacing the chimney.
Cracks can let water, insects, and drafts into your home. Once water starts seeping into your masonry, the expansion and contraction that comes with freezing and warming temperatures can cause spalling, or chipping and flaking in the bricks themselves. Spalling bricks can quickly erode the structural integrity of your chimney.
If you see issues developing in your chimney, call Mason’s Chimney Service – you’ll likely need pointing work done. Fortunately for homeowners in Gloucester, Camden, Salem, and Burlington counties, we have decades of experience performing that detailed, painstaking task.
Schedule an appointment with Mason’s Chimney Service today. You can reach us by phone at 800-559-6276 or book with us online.
What Is the Freeze/Thaw Cycle?
Brick and mortar are porous and soak up water naturally. When it rains or snows – or even when it’s really humid – that moisture is absorbed by the masonry. As temperatures drop, the absorbed water inside the masonry freezes and expands. This expansion can cause cracks and weaknesses in the bricks and mortar. When temperatures rebound and go back up, the masonry contracts. This cycle repeats constantly and the masonry weakens over time as a result.
Eventually, the damage will compound and lead to an issue called spalling – when pieces of brick and mortar chip or flake away. This can compromise the structural integrity of your chimney and make it unsafe for use. Spalling can also expose your chimney to even more water intrusion and leave other parts of the chimney system – like the flue liner and damper – vulnerable to water damage.
Since we’re in New Jersey, these temperature changes are inevitable. On the bright side, you can take preventive steps to protect your chimney and there are options available to you if your chimney is already damaged.
What Is Chimney Pointing?
Simply stated, pointing is the process of restoring the mortar joints in your masonry chimney. We can safely remove damaged mortar (and if need be, brick) and replace it with new mortar to form new, strong, watertight joints.
But pointing is not simple work. It’s important to have your pointing done by a professional – particularly with older homes. The makeup of modern bricks and mortar is considerably different from the materials used in years past. Today’s bricks are much harder, and today’s mortar is more rigid and less water-permeable. If pointing work is done with masonry materials that don’t work properly with the original materials, your chimney can look shoddy and lose its structural integrity. We know new chimneys and old chimneys – we’ll handle your pointing needs the right way.
Signs You Need Chimney Pointing
Damaged masonry is a functional issue and severe impairment will stand out like a sore thumb. If you see any of the following signs, schedule an appointment with Mason’s Chimney Service to find out if pointing is right for your chimney:
- Crumbling or cracked mortar.
- Gaps between bricks.
- Water stains on the chimney.
- Leaks inside your home.
- Discolored mortar.
- Rusty damper or firebox.
How Do I Maintain Masonry & Prevent Further Damage?
After you get pointing work done – or before you need it – we can recommend a waterproofing sealant that can help protect your masonry and add years to its life.
Mason’s Chimney Service routinely uses CrownGuardWater Repellents, which are specially designed to protect masonry against the damage that comes from water penetration. This isn’t your average sealant – if you were to just paint over the outside of your chimney, you’d probably do well at keeping water out.
A downside to that is that you’d also harm the proper function of your chimney. Bricks and mortar are permeable, and that’s an important part of their function – they allow toxic gases and small particles to be expelled. Sealing off the outside won’t allow that to happen. CrownGuard Water Repellents are made to be vapor-permeable, so they keep water from getting into your masonry, but allow those gases to get out. It’s a great product that professionals have been using for more than 25 years.
Leave Pointing Work to the Experts
Many homeowners prefer a traditional masonry chimney because of the charm of brick and mortar, but years of use and exposure to the elements can leave your chimney worse for wear. But you can breathe new life into your chimney with pointing services provided by our certified chimney professionals. For all your pointing or chimney repair needs, call Mason’s Chimney Service at 800-559-6276 or reach out to us on our website.
Having problems with your chimney’s performance? Don’t worry, diagnosing and fixing these problems is all part of our professional masonry services.