Your home’s chimney shoulders the responsibility of safely removing all traces of smoke from your home. Issues like cracks, moisture seepage, damage by lightning and other factors compromise your chimney’s capability and provide an inlet for toxic chemicals like carbon monoxide to enter your home’s environment and pose a serious health hazard. If the damage to your chimney is extensive, the solution would lie in a chimney rebuild and not mere repairs. In this article, the chimney experts at Hynes Construction share some essential factors to keep in mind when scheduling a rebuild of your chimney.
(1) A thorough inspection
The first step in the process of considering a chimney rebuild is getting your chimney thoroughly inspected by a professional. Because even though your chimney may look severely down and out, there just might be a chance that it could be restored with repairs and not an expensive rebuild. Alternately, in the event that your chimney actually needs a rebuild, a deep inspection will help uncover damages or issues that lie inside and cannot be noticed easily.
(2) The rebuild you need
You needn’t worry about the expenses right away after a qualified technician advises you to carry out a chimney rebuild. The extent of rebuild will depend on the extent of damage caused to your chimney.
Partial rebuild: If your chimney shows signs of damage only at the top, you can resolve the issue by replacing the affected part, such as the crown.
Complete rebuild: If your chimney is extensively damaged and is leaning or falling apart, the recommended solution is a replacement of the outer brick wall as well as the crown. A new brick and mortar layer would be added to the outer layer of your chimney structure.
(3) Traditional brick or modern Prefab
You could rebuild your chimney the traditional way with brick masonry. Or you could go the modern route and install a prefabricated system. The estimate will depend on your choice since the process, materials and skills needed for both chimney types are different.
(4) Waterproof your system
Moisture is considered to be the number one enemy of a chimney. The leaking of moisture into a chimney can cause a number of issues including decaying mortar, chimney deterioration, water mixing with creosote – leading to an unpleasant odor, and interior water damage. Waterproofing the structure after a rebuild will provide a lasting solution for moisture issues as well as freedom from future chimney rebuilds.
(5) Install flue liners
Ever wondered how a structure built to handle the passage of a super-hot mixture of gasses never catches fire? Well, that’s the job of a flue liner which protects your home from flames, sparks and harmful vapors of carbon monoxide. Rebuilding a chimney is a good time to also consider repairing or replacing worn-out flue liners and restoring your home’s top fire safety device.
(6) The cost of rebuilding a chimney
The cost would depend on several factors: the size of the chimney, the number of fireplaces, the extent of work to be done, the number of parts that need to be restored (like utility flues) and more. Although, the amount of work and materials will depend from job to job and home to home, the cost for chimney rebuilds can range from $1000 up to $30,000.
(7) Find the right contractor
The quality of your chimney rebuild and the number of seasons it will endure before you see problems resurfacing again, will depend on the quality of the contractor you hire. Make it a point to do your research when looking for contractors who’re qualified, certified and experienced in the area of chimney rebuilding. A professional contractor will enlighten you on every aspect of your chimney’s rebuilding, right from the process to the areas of work to the materials to the amount of labor and more.
Like your roof and siding, your chimney too is continuously bearing the onslaught of the elements all through the year. This increases the chances of damage which in some circumstances, may exceed the scope of mere repairs. We trust this article will inform you of the basics to consider when deciding on a chimney rebuild. At Hynes Construction, we have experienced and licensed contractors to handle a range of needs including chimney replacement, emergency chimney repair, chimney flashing repair or any other problem that you may be facing. Just give us a call and we’ll help you learn why our chimney repair and rebuild services work for customers who desire quality work with a professional attitude at a reasonable price.
Reach out to Hynes Construction at - 610-896-6388 Or Fill Contact Form
(President, Hynes Roofing and Siding)
With over 35 years experience in the roofing and siding industry, Michelle Hynes has built a business from 2 people into over 45 people and 19 trucks!
