Our Company Blog

We Provide Quality Tuckpointing

There are some things you know about chimney inspection, upkeep, and repair. For instance, if you use your chimney a lot, you know that over time, creosote forms and needs to be removed by a professional chimney sweep in order to avoid the possibility of a chimney fire and also to control odor. This is why it’ so important to have your chimney cleaned at least annually. You probably also know that when you use your chimney a lot, things can crack or chip, sometimes just from the action of normal house settling. This is another thing that a quality chimney sweep company like Chim Cheroo Chimney Service Inc will look for when they do an annual inspection and cleaning. But do you know what it means to have your chimney tuckpointed? This is a common repair job that chimneys need, and one that the professionals at Chim Cheroo Chimney Service have performed many times.

Spalling

Now that spring is here, it’s a great time to have your annual chimney inspection and sweeping done. But first, take a walk around your home and give your chimney a look over. Take special notice of the condition of the mortar. Touch it to see if it feels soft and spongy, maybe even crumbly. Look at the ground around the chimney, too. Do you see little flakes or specks of white on the ground? If this is the case, it means that spalling is occurring. Spalling is a condition that occurs when water gets into the brick and mortar of your chimney, causing the surface area to peel or flake off. This weakens the surface area and can cause structural damage to occur.

Tuckpointing

When a professional from Chim Cheroo Chimney Service comes in and inspects your chimney, one thing he’ll be looking for is spalling. If this condition is present, the best way to fix it is through tuckpointing. In this process, the mortar is carefully picked away, and then new mortar is installed. We make sure that the new mortar is the perfect consistency and composition to fill in the gaps and restore strength to your chimney structure. At Chim Cheroo, we know that the appearance of the chimney is important as well, so we make sure to pick the perfect color mortar to match the existing mortar, so that this transition is seamless and natural-looking.

You may be tempted to complete this process yourself, but it works best with the tools and experience that a qualified chimney service can provide. Chim Cheroo Chimney Service has been providing excellent service to the residents of north central Ohio for over 30 years. You know you can trust their CSIA certified professionals to get your tuckpointing done right. We aren’t satisfied until you are, so give us a call today to set up your spring chimney inspection and cleaning and any repair work your chimney may need.

How to Know if You Need Masonry Repair

It seems like your chimney is a fortress, that nothing can happen that will cause it to break down. But in truth, there are some things that can cause damage. In fact, one of the things that can do the most damage is such a simple thing, and that is precipitation. There are other things, however, that can cause you some trouble, like obstructions and creosote buildup. Because these are prime fire-starters, they can cause chimney fires, which can cause major structural damage to your chimney as well.

What to Look For

First, give your bricks a good look over. If you notice that they are starting to chip or break away, it’s a pretty good indication that you are looking at repair work. Your bricks can undergo a condition called spalling; it’s caused when your bricks or the mortar that holds them together takes on water. Because bricks and mortar are porous materials, when precipitation hits, it gets in the pores and eventually can cause them to split, peel, and flake. This is a dangerous condition because it can cause structural damage to your chimney if left unrepaired for too long. If you see cracks in your bricks or flakes on the ground around the chimney, you’ll want to give Chim Cheroo Chimney Service a call. We can give your chimney a solid inspection and begin plans for repair work if needed.

Mortar Joints

The bricks of your chimney are held together by mortar joints. These joints keep moisture out. The trouble is, with all the exposure to the outdoor elements, those mortar joints can get saturated by moisture and deteriorate. If this damage isn’t caught, it can be a real safety concern because they may not be able to hold the weight of the bricks. This is another thing that we’ll be checking out when we inspect your chimney.

Efflorescence

Efflorescence is another thing that you will want to look out for. Look for an area of white discoloration on the bricks. This probably means that there is an excess amount of moisture in your masonry. Although the white discoloration can be cleaned up pretty easily, it will come back. You will need to get to the root of the problem. When the crew at Chim Cheroo comes in to inspect your chimney, we’ll take care of the underlying issues that are causing this efflorescence to occur.

Give Chim Cheroo Chimney Service a call!
Even though it’s still cold and snowy outside, you know that the warming breezes of spring are just around the corner. Now is a great time to give us a call. We can set up a time to inspect and clean your chimney. We’ll keep a close eye out for any masonry damage and recommend any cleaning and repairs that need to be done to make sure that your family and home stay safe and secure.