Masonry chimney water damage... what to do?

[terpsucka]

I've recently had the faces of some of the brick on my masonry chimney popping off, but no other problems-- no water leaking, or anything else visible. I had a guy come out and take a look. He gave me four options:

1) Tear the whole thing down and rebuild it. He said there's no way to completely resolve this issue without starting over with higher quality brick, though he didn't recommend it and didn't even provide an estimate.

2) Resurface the crown with "flexible cement." He said this is pretty much a must as the existing crown is deteriorating and is the source of most of the water. "Flexible cement" sounds a bit scammy to me... but I'm no mason, so I'd love some input.

3) Apply a heavy dose of "industrial grade water repellant." He says it's his opinion that the brick was never sealed in any way. It was built before I moved in 10 years ago, and I certainly never sealed it.

4) Cut out and replace the damaged bricks.

He said if it were his house, he'd go with 2) & 3), and redo 3) every 5-8 years, but adding 4) would make it hold up a bit better. He also said 4) wouldn't eliminate the need for a periodic redo of 3), or the occasional brick face popping off.

I'm inclined to go with his recommendation... it's not every day you hear a guy say "You probably shouldn't do all the stuff I proposed." What do y'all think?

 

[begreen]

Do a google search on spalling brick repair. I am guessing that by "flexible cement" he meant a softer cement for the mortar. If older, soft brick is mortared with modern hard mortar, the two products may expand and contract at different rates and cause spalling. In that case the heavy duty water repellant is not going to help.

From what has been described, it sounds like option 1 may be the right way to go. What is this chimney on or servicing? Is it an option to just eliminate the chimney entirely and replace it with stainless?

 

[branchburner]

I'm no expert, but I'd go with 2) & 3), (already did!), but not sure what flexible cement is - I just used mortar. Used to get some water seeping into the house, none since I applied repellent.

I did not repair any of my spalling brick, but I believe repellent was never applied, or if so, decades ago.

 

[begreen]

The fellow may be correct but is not explaining well. I would get additional estimates and opinions. Try to find local masons that have great references. Maybe go to the local brickyard and ask who are considered the best brick masons in your area.

 

[blades]

Hard faced brick- soft interior, Glazed but not totally fired. This a common problem with this type of brick as the face blocks moisture from escaping. freeze /thaw cycle cause the face to pop off. This means that water is weeping into the assembly and/or wicking through the mortar joints. Bricks act like a sponge. If the cap is in bad shape replace it and use a sealer on the rest. If motar is crumbling or bricks are loose either rebuild it or replace it with compatible unit for your intended use. What you do will also be dependent on local ordinances. Best be checking on that pronto.

 

[terpsucka]

Thanks everyone, as always a wealth of good advice. The mortar is in good shape, and I wasn't able to find any loose bricks. There was one that appeared to be loose, but when I banged on it it turned out to be another where the face (about 1/4-1/2") was coming off, and turned out to be solid underneath.

This chimney is for a wood-burning fireplace insert. The chimney rises from the middle of the house where the peak of the roof on one side is one story above the peak on the other, visible from the street, so replacing it with steel and making it look good would be a cosmetic nightmare. I would love to get rid of the thing and have one less thing to think about, but my wife would never go along with it.

 

[cmonSTART]

I've recently had the faces of some of the brick on my masonry chimney popping off, but no other problems-- no water leaking, or anything else visible. I had a guy come out and take a look. He gave me four options:

1) Tear the whole thing down and rebuild it. He said there's no way to completely resolve this issue without starting over with higher quality brick, though he didn't recommend it and didn't even provide an estimate.

2) Resurface the crown with "flexible cement." He said this is pretty much a must as the existing crown is deteriorating and is the source of most of the water. "Flexible cement" sounds a bit scammy to me... but I'm no mason, so I'd love some input.

3) Apply a heavy dose of "industrial grade water repellant." He says it's his opinion that the brick was never sealed in any way. It was built before I moved in 10 years ago, and I certainly never sealed it.

4) Cut out and replace the damaged bricks.

He said if it were his house, he'd go with 2) & 3), and redo 3) every 5-8 years, but adding 4) would make it hold up a bit better. He also said 4) wouldn't eliminate the need for a periodic redo of 3), or the occasional brick face popping off.

I'm inclined to go with his recommendation... it's not every day you hear a guy say "You probably shouldn't do all the stuff I proposed." What do y'all think?

I agree with his assessment. #1 is best, but 2 and 3 are more practical and will extend the chimney's life.

 

[egclassic]

The flexible material he is refering to is not cement. It is a brushable or trowelable compound. Google "Crown Coat". I had hairline cracks in my crown and this is what I used. The guy installing my stove told me about it. He said if I had "them" put it on it would cost $400. You can buy a 2 gallon can online for less than $200.00 This of course will not help your bricks that are breaking up. You will have to get those replaced first.

http://www.chimneysaver.com/crowncoat.html This is the flexible stuff I think he is refering to.