2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘chimney repair’

Is a Leaning Chimney a Serious Problem?

Sunday, January 12th, 2014

A chimney leaning away from the house, slanted at an odd angle, is an image pulled from a Victorian storybook or a Gothic movie. It’s stylish and strange. But, you don’t want that happening to your chimney. Not only does it put the whole appearance of your house off-kilter, it can pose other problems for you.

But how serious is it? If the chimney only leans a bit and seems in no danger of immediately crumbling and taking out a wall, are there any urgent reasons to repair it aside from cosmetic ones?

Yes, there are. In this post we’ll explain why you need to call immediately for masonry services in St. Paul, MN when you have a chimney that’s turning into the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., where we offer masonry services that will take care of the problem for you.

The dangers of leaning chimneys

The usual leaning chimney is one that appears to be separating away from the side of the house. Even if it seems like the chimney isn’t about to topple over (sometimes the lean can look almost like an optical illusion), this tilt puts tremendous strain on the construction material of your home, and over time can cause significant structural damage. Just because the lean looks small doesn’t mean that it isn’t putting enormous stress on the material around it: most chimneys weigh many tons, and your home’s frame was not built to stand this level of pressure. Masonry repairs to shore up the foundation of the chimney will eliminate this problem.

There’s also the danger of toppling bricks. The tilt can start to dislodge bricks which will crash onto your house, and possibly right through your roof. This is obviously something you never want to happen, and masons can make sure your bricks are all still mortared in tightly after straightening the chimney.

The pressure from the lean can do significant damage to the interior lining of a chimney. The lining is responsible for helping to safely vent exhaust from the fireplace. Breaks in the liner can cause combustion gases to enter your home, and also leads to a major fire hazards.

Call for chimney masonry services

Even if the lean only seems minor, if you notice your chimney starting to tilt you need to have the problem dealt with immediately: there are too many potential dangerous outcomes. Call for masonry service in St. Paul, MN for your leaning chimney. At 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., we provide full services for all kinds of fireplaces and chimneys, and we can help you straighten up your home.

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Fixing Your Chimney – Insurance Claims

Wednesday, July 31st, 2013

Here at 2nd Generation Chimneys, we have years of experience working with all different kinds of chimney issues and we wanted to help out our customers who may be experiencing some chimney problems and have questions about insurance claims. Obviously, you will have to consult with your particular insurer, but heck out our short guide below. If you need any Minneapolis chimney repair just give us a call and we’ll be able to get your chimney working again quickly.

Minneapolis Chimney Repair: Insurance

If you’re a homeowner then you almost certainly have homeowner’s insurance. In most cases, your insurance will cover the cost of repair if the repair is sudden as opposed to simple old age. Things like damage from a fallen tree and leaking flashing are what your insurance is there to cover. Again, you’ll have to check with your particular insurance company to see if the damage to your chimney is covered.

However, depending on your deductible, it might actually be a good idea to just pay for the repair yourself. If the cost of the repair is low enough, you could consider paying for it yourself instead of submitting a claim to your insurance. The reason for this is because if you start submitting a lot of insurance claims you might risk getting dropping from your insurance.

But don’t wait to call for repair. Regardless of whether or not you’re going to submit your repair receipts, you should call immediately for Minneapolis chimney repair. This will help you get your chimney back up and running quickly so that you can enjoy your fireplace. Once you call your chimney repair contractor and they perform the repair, make sure that you save your receipts so that you can submit them to your insurance company if you choose to.

When you need any kind of Minneapolis chimney repair just call the specialists at 2nd Generation Chimneys. Whether your chimney is leaking water or if it has any cracks just give us a call and we’ll be able to get your chimney back up and running quickly.

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Small Repairs now Save Money in the Long Run

Friday, June 28th, 2013

We know the weather doesn’t always cooperate year round in St. Paul, MN, even during the summer. But at 2nd Generation Chimneys, staying on track and doing the job right is our top priority. Our certified and experienced technicians provide outstanding customer service and work hard to meet our deadlines despite the summer showers. Whether your chimney requires a minor repair, masonry repairs, or a partial replacement, you can rely on us to get your chimney in top shape for this winter.

St. Paul’s extreme weather conditions make chimneys susceptible to structural wear and potential long term damage to the chimney’s lining from extensive use. Repairs such as chimney relining and sealing are more cost-effective than having to replace the entire chimney. Keep in mind that routine inspections and annual cleanings can help catch little cracks or other problems early to prevent extensive damage and costly repairs.

To request an estimate or to schedule service, call 2nd Generation Chimneys today!

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Twin Cities: The Importance of Chimney Resurfacing

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Check out our video of one of our certified technicians performing smoke chamber resurfacing. As part of our chimney repair services, resurfacing is an important part of maintaining and preserving your chimney and masonry work. Don’t wait until your chimney becomes irreparable to schedule a maintenance call. We service the Twin Cities area so Schedule an appointment today!

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What is Tuckpointing and Why Do I need it for my Brick Chimney?

Monday, November 12th, 2012

If you’ve never owned a brick chimney or if you’ve never paid any attention to the one that you have, you may not know what tuckpointing is. But if your chimney has started to crack, lean or deteriorate, you may have started to hear about tuckpointing. We thought it would be helpful for our customers in St. Paul to learn more about this process and why it is necessary for chimney repairs. Below we’ve put together a brief description of what tuckpointing is and why you need it for your chimney repairs.

What is Tuckpointing?

Tuckpointing is the process of repairing the mortar joints between bricks. While the actual bricks in your chimney can last up to 100 years, the mortar joints between them can last around 25 years or more. The tuckpointing process involves routing out the old mortar and then replacing it with new, fresh mortar. Here is how the process works for a typical red brick chimney:

  • The old mortar is ground or routed out at a uniform depth.
  • After that, red mortar is filled in to the newly routed grooves.
  • Thin strips are cut out down the middle of the red mortar to form thin grooves.
  • A contrasting color of mortar, normally white, is then filled into the grooves.

In this way, the original clean shape of the bricks and the mortar are recreated.

Why You Need Tuckpointing On Your Chimney

As the mortar joints in your chimney deteriorate they can start to cause some serious problems.

  • Water proofing – As the mortar joints in your chimney deteriorate they can start to let water into your home. You might not even detect this water which could cause mold, mildew and wood rot.
  • Structural stability – Obviously, if the mortar joints start to deteriorate, your chimney won’t be as sturdy.
  • Avoid rebuilding – If you let the mortar joints in your chimney deteriorate too much, you may have to end up tearing it down and rebuilding it.

Chimney Maintenance

Your chimney should be inspected and maintained every 2 to 3 years. With proper maintenance and repair, including tuckpointing, your chimney should potentially have a long life.

If you have any questions about tuckpointing or chimney repair, call the experts at 2nd Generation Chimney. If you think that your chimney needs tuckpointing, call us and we’ll send one of our technicians out to your home to take a look. about this process and why it is necessary for chimney repairs. Below we’ve put together a brief description of what tuckpointing is and why you need it for your chimney repairs.

What is Tuckpointing?

Tuckpointing is the process of repairing the mortar joints between bricks. While the actual bricks in your chimney can last up to 100 years, the mortar joints between them can last around 25 years or more. The tuckpointing process involves routing out the old mortar and then replacing it with new, fresh mortar. Here is how the process works for a typical red brick chimney:

  • The old mortar is ground or routed out at a uniform depth.
  • After that, red mortar is filled in to the newly routed grooves.
  • Thin strips are cut out down the middle of the red mortar to form thin grooves.
  • A contrasting color of mortar, normally white, is then filled into the grooves.

In this way, the original clean shape of the bricks and the mortar are recreated.

Why You Need Tuckpointing On Your Chimney

As the mortar joints in your chimney deteriorate they can start to cause some serious problems.

  • Water proofing – As the mortar joints in your chimney deteriorate they can start to let water into your home. You might not even detect this water which could cause mold, mildew and wood rot.
  • Structural stability – Obviously, if the mortar joints start to deteriorate, your chimney won’t be as sturdy.
  • Avoid rebuilding – If you let the mortar joints in your chimney deteriorate too much, you may have to end up tearing it down and rebuilding it.

Chimney Maintenance

Your chimney should be inspected and maintained every 2 to 3 years. With proper maintenance and repair, including tuckpointing, your chimney should potentially have a long life.

If you have any questions about tuckpointing or chimney repair, call the experts at 2nd Generation Chimney. If you think that your chimney needs tuckpointing, call us and we’ll send one of our technicians out to your home to take a look.

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Minneapolis Chimney Tip: How to Maintain Proper Airflow in Your Chimney

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Whether you heat with gas, wood, or pellets, proper airflow in your chimney is important for several reasons. Not only does it help with efficiency, but it can also prevent backdraft and fire hazards. Here are some ways you can ensure that you are getting proper airflow in your chimney.

At 2nd Generation Chimneys, our Minneapolis chimney specialists are here to answer any further questions you might have. Our technicians are trained and certified to inspect chimneys for any type of heating system that requires ventilation through a chimney, so feel free to contact us any time.

Make Sure the Damper is Fully Open

Before you turn on your heat or build the first fire in the fall, always make sure that the damper is fully open. After you open it, check to make sure it’s fully open. Often a damper won’t open all the way because of excess creosote or soot buildup on the smoke shelf, or the damper could be damaged.

Schedule Your Annual Chimney Cleaning Before the Heating Season

In addition to checking for damage to the damper or other components, hiring a professional for a thorough chimney cleaning and inspection before the weather gets cold is important for many reasons. This gives the technician a chance to clean out dangerous levels of creosote build-up, and check for other issues with airflow. Poor chimney design is another issue that can be remedied in several ways. A damaged chimney cap or animals living inside the chimney are other potential airflow blocks.

Have Your Chimney Repaired as Needed

Should you need a chimney repair, it is important to have the repairs done before you use your heating system for the first time in the fall. This ensures proper airflow and safe operation. If there are cracks in the lining or your chimney needs masonry repairs, it’s also important to have this done since moisture can damage the inside of the flue or fireplace.

Increase Airflow by Making a Hotter Fire

The draft in your chimney works by pulling the air up through the chimney, so an easy way to increase the airflow is to burn hotter fires. Because hotter air is lighter, it creates more pull. If your chimney is too short or narrow for the heating unit, it can also affect the airflow and draft.

Make Sure Your Home is Properly Sealed and Insulated

Having a home that is sealed too tightly or one that has too many cracks and air leaks can disrupt the pressure inside the home, which also affects the draft.

Call the Minneapolis heating experts at 2nd Generation for any further questions you might have.

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Twin Cities Chimney Repair Question: What is Chimney Resurfacing?

Monday, August 20th, 2012

Chimney resurfacing is an important part of your overall chimney maintenance.  Just like any masonry-work, it is essential to keep your chimney in good repair in order for it to work efficiently.  The Twin Cities chimney experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys can help you to better understand exactly what chimney resurfacing is, as well as perform a professional chimney resurfacing for you.

Chimney Resurfacing: The Basics

Weather can really take a toll on your chimney.  Along with changing weather patterns comes the inevitable cracking or wearing out of the masonry that holds the exterior of the chimney together.  Chimney resurfacing will maintain the quality of your chimney.  If your chimney is made of brick or stone and the mortar that holds it all together is eroding or you have stucco covering the outside of your chimney that has cracked, it is important that you have it resurfaced right away.

Some of the resurfacing happens along the horizontal sections of the chimney such as the crown on the very top of the chimney or on the shoulders where the chimney flares out to the sides.  These horizontal surfaces are designed to keep rain water from penetrating into the brickwork or stonework on a chimney and it is essential that they be properly maintained.  If water begins leaking into the chimney because of the wear on these sections it can be very damaging to the mortar holding the masonry together, as well as to the bricks and stonework.

Visibly cracked and weathered crowns or shoulders are an indication that a chimney repair is needed which will normally include restoring the masonry or bricks with fresh mortar, as well as applying a waterproofing agent such as a sealant to protect the repair work that is completed.

So whether you notice small cracks beginning on the chimney crown, the chimney shoulders, or in the mortar that holds the masonry pieces together, it is important to contact a professional Twin Cities chimney company such as 2nd Generation Chimneys to handle your chimney repairs and chimney maintenance.

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Minneapolis Chimney FAQ: Why Do I Need Masonry Repair?

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

In Minneapolis, chimneys are exposed to extreme weather throughout the year. Over the years, water can get into the masonry if it isn’t sealed with the right materials, and once the water settles into the joints, it can weaken the mortar and deteriorate the bricks. During the colder months of the year, water trapped inside the mortar can freeze and cause cracks and other damage to the chimney as a whole.

In older homes, brick and mortar chimneys might simply have worn down due to age. Then when moisture mixes with creosote, it can form mild acids that damage the lining and the masonry. As a result, even a well-maintained chimney may eventually need repairs. At 2nd Generation Chimneys, we can take care of all your masonry repair needs, including sealing and resurfacing. Our technicians are trained to thoroughly inspect your entire chimney and make any necessary repairs.

Masonry Repair Services

The goal of masonry repair services is to inspect the chimney and check for common problems, such as deteriorating and loose bricks, crumbling mortar joints, or creosote build-up and other residues inside the liner. The process can vary depending on the condition of your chimney.

While chimney inspections are always done during the replacement of your heating system, you may also want one completed on a regular basis once a year to check for common signs of wear and tear. Masonry repair services can ensure the integrity of your chimney so that you won’t have to worry about it during the heating season.

There are a number of ways you can reduce the impact of excess moisture damaging your masonry chimney. A chimney cap can stop water from getting inside the chimney and damaging the flue liner, or a new liner can provide protection against the acids that develop due to the mixture of creosote and moisture, especially if you just had a new high-efficiency furnace or boiler installed. Sealing and resurfacing (also known as tuckpointing) can help protect the masonry.

If you suspect a problem in your chimney, or if it has not been inspected in the last year or two, call 2nd Generation Chimneys of Minneapolis for a professional chimney inspection.

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Minneapolis Chimney Guide: Common Chimney Problems

Monday, August 6th, 2012

Making use of your Minneapolis home’s fireplace is a great way to relax. Even if you use it only infrequently, though, it is important to have your fireplace and chimney professionally inspected annually. Not only does this keep your chimney  working properly and safely, it also allows professional chimney sweeps to discover any existing or developing problems within your chimney. At 2nd Generation Chimneys we want you to feel confident when using your home’s fireplace. Here’s some information about common chimney problems and conditions that can be discovered and dealt with by a professional service company.

  • Creosote Buildup: Creosote is a tarry substance that results from the burning of wood in your fireplace. It is a byproduct of the burning process and its production cannot be avoided. As long as you have your chimney cleaned annually creosote should pose no danger. However, if left to itself long enough it can be responsible for fires within your chimney. Regular, professional chimney maintenance will cut down on the creosote buildup in your chimney, keeping your fireplace and chimney as safe as possible.
  • Damaged Chimney Cap or Crown: The crown of your chimney sits at the top of the structure to protect exposed masonry chimneys from being damaged by weather or water. The cap is a roofed addition that helps keep water out of your chimney and may have a screen to keep animals and birds out as well. A faulty cap or screen can let in unwanted debris and pests, and can even result in damage to your fireplace’s flue.
  • Damaged Flue: The flue of your fireplace allows combustion gases to vent. A damaged flue can allow gases to seep into your house and lead to the erosion of the chimney’s masonry and brickwork. This puts the structural integrity of your entire chimney at risk.
  • Cracks in Lining of Chimney: Any cracks or damage to the flue lining must be dealt with immediately. This can lead to leaking gases and escaping heat, putting the interior of your home at risk of fire or exposure to gases. It can also lead to blockages and improper ventilation.

When properly maintained your fireplace is a perfectly safe, enjoyable way to relax and heat your home. Annual professional maintenance will alleviate any concern you have about the functionality of your chimney. If you have any cause to suspect a problem with your chimney’s structure or operation, or if you’d just like more information, call the Minneapolis chimney professionals at 2nd Generation Chimneys.

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Handling All Of Your Chimney Needs, 2nd Generations Chimneys

Monday, February 6th, 2012

2nd Generation Chimneys is equipped to handle all of your chimney and maintenance and safety needs. 2nd Generation Chimney Service offers chimney cleaning, restoration, caps and dampers and chimney relining. Whether it’s woodstoves, fireplaces, chimneys, or dryer vents, we get the job done right! Give us a call at 612-922-9600 .  We are Minnesota’s number 1 rated full service chimney company.  To learn more about us visit www.2ndgenerationchimneys.com .

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