Santa's Friend Chimney Service
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Common Chimney Repairs We See in Central Mississippi

Climate has a lot to do with needed repairs and maintenance for chimneys, especially masonry chimneys. Because brick is made of sand and sand is washed away over time by water, brick will eventually erode. This erosion, called spalling, can be in the form of flaking, cracks or breakage .

Freeze & Thaw Chimney Damage - Jackson MS

Top: Damage that occurs after winter’s freeze and thaw; Bottom: Finished repair of freeze and thaw damage

In addition to erosion, bricks deteriorate due to the freeze/thaw events that happen with changes in the seasons. If you think about how ice expands when it is frozen, then you will understand how bricks actually break from the inside out as the moisture expands. When it contracts, there is now space, which causes the mortar and brick to loosen. Bricks and stone that have come loose and are spalling are common to the Jackson and Central MS area because we do get weather that has these extreme temperatures most years.

Why Use Chimney Masons

Masonry chimneys use different mortar mixtures and bricks depending on where the repair needs to be made. There is also some very specialized work that goes into repairing a spalled brick. Sometime the entire structure has to come down and be rebuilt, but there are other times we can repair the one brick or a section without having to rebuild the chimney.

Masons that work primarily on chimneys know what they are doing whether rebuilding a firebox or repairing one spalled brick in the middle of a structure. It is not the same as putting a brick wall together and if you don’t know what you are doing, it will have to be done again in time. We want to do it once and do it right!

Common Repairs Done In Mississippi

Adding the following can greatly improve the life of your system.

Clearance to Combustible

Another repair we see from time to time has to do with something called clearance to combustibles. What this means is there are codes that determine how close a combustible material can be to a fuel source in your home. An example of this would be a mantle made of wood which has to be high enough not to be affected by the heat from the fireplace.

So if you are burning your fire and the mantel feels hot to the touch, then something is not right with the clearance and it may not be something you can see. It might be in the appliance behind the wall. If the heat is going up the wall, then there is a potential problem as well and a certified chimney services company should be called out as quickly as possible.

We have seen 2 x 4’s from renovated and new construction bump up against the flue pipe. This is a fire hazard waiting to happen and needs to be addressed before another fire is lit in the firebox. These are all things that, at worst, can harm your family and your home and can be devastating financially as well.

These are all things that can be caught with a thorough chimney inspection. Call Santa’s Friend and help us help you keep your family safe!

 

Once your chimney is repaired, be sure to also schedule a thorough chimney sweeping to make it ready for the fire-burning season. Professionally trained staff at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service will do this as part of their complete fireplace and chimney services.

Chimney Safety Institute of America National Chimney Sweeps Guild Regency Fireplaces Authorized Dealer

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