Brick Chimney and Fireplace Repairs

If you have soot or creosote build-up in your fireplace or a bird’s nest in your chimney, be sure to have it professionally cleaned by us before building another fire.

We are masonry repair experts, and can inspect your fireplace and chimney for problems related to cracks or deterioration, lightning damage, water leaks, or smoking problems. For fireplace repairs, you have found the experts—Brick Doctor craftsmen restore both beauty and function to masonry fireplaces .

Picture of Water infiltration stains in brick firebox.

The water stains in this brick fireplace firebox are due to a water penetration problem at the chimney level.

Firebox Problems

The most common problems we see within the firebox are cracked and deteriorated brick or mortar (usually in the back wall), water infiltration, and improper dimensions of the firebox (often causing smoking into the room).

Cracks. Cracks in the walls of a firebox or interior chimney lining are considered a fire hazard by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). Smoke carries waste particles from a fire and eventually causes deposits to form on the walls, and inside and behind any cracks. This oily substance, called creosote, can re-ignite from sparks rising in the chimney. Therefore, it’s important to keep these walls free of creosote build-up and to promptly repair any cracks.

Cracked mortar may be repaired by carefully chiseling out cracked areas and tuck pointing with portland cement or fireclay, but should never be surface-coated or smeared, as it will not bond with the dirty, smoky surface.

Water Infiltration. Water entering a chimney can cause several problems, and should be prevented with a quality chimney cap (see below) and crown. Water entering the flue mixes with creosote and is acidic, often causing premature rusting of the damper, and also contributing to deterioration of the brick and mortar. Water may also enter through any cracks in the chimney crown, the chimney shell itself, or through faulty flashing where the chimney meets the roof. Any such leaks can be quite frustrating to diagnose, and can also cause water damage to ceiling and flooring materials adjacent to the interior fireplace.