When searching for a chimney repointing near me contractor, safety and quality are the main traits you want a professional chimney company to cover. This job is dangerous. Most of the time, we use a motorized lift to be able to reach the top of the chimney flue. The job requires hauling concrete mix and tools to the roof while strapped onto the lift frame for safety.
Over the years, water seeps into the mortar and bricks of most chimneys. When it freezes and thaws, the bricks are pulled apart and create holes where more water can enter.
We use a special brick mortar and sealer to patch and seal these holes. First, we dig out any loose grit and dirt in the bricks. This is a time consuming job high up on the house. Therefore, you do not want to ask for the “cheapest” contractor when searching for ” chimney repointing near me.”
The best way to find a honest and reliable chimney company is by referrals and testimonies. We are proud of our many jobs repointing chimneys. Make sure the chimney sweep you hire has insurance for your peace of mind.
Unfortunately, there are less than honest companies that want a quick patch it and go job for cash. If the price seems to be too good, it probably is way too low for a repointing project.
These types of jobs are easily close to $1,000 or more. The labor and expenses to repoint a chimney are simply high. The good news is a job well done is worth another 10 to 15 years of worry free chimney leaks and water damage.
Creosote buildup on chimney cap is very dangerous. This highly combustible soot tar mixture is devastating during a chimney fire. Clean it up as soon as possible.
This is an actual customer’s chimney cap completely covered in creosote build up. Years of wood burning without a professional chimney sweep allowed this buildup to happen. It is amazing any smoke or fumes were leaving this chimney at all.
Burning more than a cord or rick of wood a year will develop a creosote buildup left unattended over the years. This tar like substance is very flammable. Cleaning and sweeping this out is NOT a do-it-yourself weekend warrior job. The chimney is often high off of the ground. The roof pitch is not easy to walk on for most people.
Our customers tell us the biggest reason they hire out the chimney inspection and cleaning is fear of heights and their safety. When cleaning the creosote buildup on a chimney cap, our team always wears a 5 point safety vest and safety glasses with cut proof hand gloves.
The best option is completely removing and replacing the chimney cap with a new stainless steel custom chimney cap. Designed, cut, installed and sealed, a new chimney cap will serve your home for decades. Creosote is simply too hard and dangerous to remove completely.
We are often asked how often to clean my chimney with normal use. We recommend yearly and have a Big Ass Cleaning special for a limited time. More importantly, the yearly inspection determines if future problems are starting to show up.
Our special includes a chimney camera with video capabilities. We run this camera up and down the entire chimney flue and record the results. This shows us any mortar or degrading in the bricks.
The special we are running now includes a full chimney sweep, a camera inspection, a 30 point inspection with a certificate (if you are selling your house soon) and free travel expense within 50 miles of Knoxville, TN. Therefore, it is a sweet deal to jump on our special during this season.
Again, so many customers ask us how often to clean my chimney, we ask how much wood do you burn a year. If you burn a cord (or ric) a year, we recommend yearly inspections and cleaning. 3 cords or more of wood should be inspected twice a year.