When you think your chimney needs repair or possibly needs to be rebuilt, our experienced masonry professionals will inspect your chimney and provide you with a free estimate. Once you’re ready to start, we’ll schedule the work and get it done, on-time and on-budget. We are fully insured and we provide a warranty with all major repairs.
If not constructed perfectly, chimneys are the first masonry to deteriorate on a home. The weather will take its toll on your chimney. These external forces can wreak havoc on brick and mortar. Winter freezing and thawing and freezing again can, over time, deteriorate mortar and brick to the point where it needs to be repaired or replaced. As well, chimney brickwork or lining may become damaged from chimney fires, lightning strikes, or just the natural settling of your home. Clay tiles, used to line some chimneys, may break or crack over time allowing heat and fumes to transfer or escape into the home. Over years of use, bricks or linings of chimneys may also be damaged from condensation.
Signs that indicate a chimney needs repair:
- Mortar deteriorating/falling out from between bricks
- Bricks bulging or faces popping off the bricks (spalling)
- Discolouration of bricks – like turning white or getting darker
- Chimney crown (cement slab at the top of the chimney) cracking or nonexistent
- Chimney tile (round or square terracotta tube at top of chimney) cracked or broken
- Chimney leaning
Chimney Cleaning and Maintenance
Chimneys serve to vent combustion by-products from fireplaces or appliances. Since this goes on behind the scenes, problems that arise within your chimney often go undetected until they reach crisis proportion.
Proper cleaning and maintenance is necessary to keep your chimney functioning as it should. As well, you can have peace of mind knowing your family is safe and warm.
If you have a wood burning fireplace or stove then you should be getting it inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. When wood burns, it creates smoke. This smoke deposits soot and tar on the inside of the chimney. The tar, called creosote, can become flammable when it builds up. The purpose of sweeping the chimney is to get the creosote buildup out of the chimney so that it vents properly and most importantly, a chimney fire is prevented.
The Ontario Fire Code requires that a chimney be inspected at least on an annual basis and that it be cleaned regularly to prevent creosote buildup. The majority of our customers come to us annually for their inspections and cleaning. If you are using your fireplace or wood stove once or twice a week in the winter, it is essential that you get the chimney cleaned every year.
Our chimney sweeps are very thorough and our process is very clean. We use custom-designed brushes (much larger than a standard chimney brush) along with interlocking fiberglass poles and clean your chimney from the fireplace to the cap with no mess. Our prices for cleaning are very competitive and we’ll be able to quote you on the phone. And you won’t have to worry about any hidden fees.
If you need an inspection from a WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) certified technician, then call us. Our WETT technician will conduct a full inspection and take notes on the fireplace or stove. He will then return to the office and draw up your report. In 24-48 hours, we will send you your inspection report indicating the results of the inspection and whether we deem the appliance safe. If your appliance does not pass, we will indicate what is required to make it safe and quote the work or refer you to an experienced professional.
Smoking Problems: When inspecting and cleaning your chimney, we will be ensuring that your chimney is drafting properly. If your fireplace is seeping smoke or if you’ve gotten smoke coming into your basement, then we will be able to address this and attempt to resolve it on site. This may be caused by a blockage, a poorly functioning damper, improperly constructed fireplace or not enough combustion air going to the fireplace. This is usually resolved on a service call and sometimes requires minor repairs. All of our staff are able to diagnose smoking problems and our service team would be glad to answer any questions you have.
Animal and Blockage Removal: It is not uncommon for a chimney to become blocked. This may be caused by loose masonry and other debris, but blockages are most commonly caused by animals making a home in your chimney be it squirrels, raccoons or birds. Clearing a blockage generally takes more time, a lot of work, and requires various chimney tools. We clear hundreds of blockages and animal nests every year. This is most common in the spring, but can happen at any time.
Chimney Caps: A chimney cap is essential to preventing rain and animals from entering your chimney. A chimney cap puts a roof over the chimney to prevent precipitation entering and causing deterioration in your chimney and is surrounded by a tough wire mesh. All wood burning fireplaces require a cap and our caps are the highest quality steel construction with tough wire mesh. We supply and install them every day.
Damper Installations and Damper Repair: Simple Traditional chimney dampers in older homes can rust out or fail and are quite costly to replace. Our experienced technicians most commonly replace these with a Lock-Top damper. This is an airtight, energy-efficient damper that works from the top of the chimney and is operated by a handle in your fireplace.
If you notice any issue with your chimney, contact us at (415) 718-3383 for a free consultation and estimate.