Waterproofing
Untreated Treated
Your masonry chimney is a rugged structure, but like a car’s finish it will last much longer if a few simple, inexpensive maintenance steps are followed.
A water repellent treatment acts as a barrier against the elements, protecting your investment. And if the chimney needs work, “the sooner the better” is the rule of thumb. Masonry damage progresses in a geometric curve: once the damage starts, water penetration and freeze-thaw cycles increase the rate of deterioration.
Doesn’t brickwork last for centuries, all on its own?
Not without maintenance. Next time you are in the car, look at the chimneys on the houses you pass. You might be surprised at how much damage you see: missing bricks, spalling (chipping away of the surface), “bent” chimneys caused by water penetration and freezing/heaving on the windward side, or even collapsed chimneys. Not only does brickwork need occasional routine maintenance, but chimneys carry effluent gasses that are often high in sulfur, chlorine and other corrosive elements that take an additional toll on the masonry work.
My chimney looks fine. Why should I be concerned about repairs or waterproofing?
Damage to chimneys doesn’t take place only in the parts that you can see. Just below the roofline, for example, is a prime area for water damage. If an inspection reveals that the chimney needs some repairs, the sooner the work is done the better: your cost will be lower, and your chimney will be safer, than if you wait. And if everything is in good shape, a water repellent treatment is like the baked-on finish on your car, protecting the structure from the weather for years.
Why not just paint on a water sealant from the hardware store?
Chimneys aren’t like foundations. The masonry work shouldn’t be sealed, because the effluents (smoke/gasses moving through the chimney) contain water and corrosive elements. Applying a sealant can actually do more damage, locking in the water vapor, increasing the rate of corrosion from sulfur, chlorine and other elements in the flue gasses, and causing accelerated deterioration due to freeze/thaw cycles in the winter. We use a specially formulated water repellent that “breathes,” allowing water vapor to pass through, but repelling water droplets. The result is that rain slides off instead of soaking into the masonry, but water vapors from flue gasses are not trapped inside the structure of the chimney.
What if there are just a few imperfections, and the chimney overall is sound?
We will inspect the chimney inside and out. Sometimes no repairs are needed. Often there is minor damage, requiring nothing more than a small tuck-pointing job – removing some loose mortar and applying new mortar to the joints – or installing a new crown (the cement finish on the very top). Since we specialize in chimney repair and maintenance, small repairs are a regular part of the work we do. We don’t shy away from the small jobs, and we carry the materials needed to perform minor repairs, so we can often do the work without requiring a second appointment.
Call (781) 585-5990 or Email us for an appointment to inspect your chimney, and we will provide you with a quote for applying a water repellent to preserve your chimney, or for repairs if needed.
