How to repair brick Chimneys

Brick or masonry chimney has long life if they are constructed properly. But because of their nature, they get corroded and damaged with time and weather.Therefore, they need to get repaired, once you learn about their damage and decay. 

The water damaged or crumbled brick within a chimney causes  the structure to lose some or full of its structural integrity. As such, the structure should be examined and assessed to find the scope of the work to be done. For the solution, either you can get the damaged brick cut individually or repair and rebuild the structure, depending upon your evaluation.

Expert masonry results in long-term, high quality chimney repair. Therefore, you should hire a professional like masonry contractors Lincoln Park, who with their experience and knowledge, fulfill your purpose.

Chimney Rebuilding Procedure: 

·      Assessment: Determining the extent of the mortar damage and removing the damaged one without causing further damage is the main challenge of chimney rebuilding. For assessment, you will need to consult a professional, definitely. An expert starts the examination with visual inspection followed by the inspection using specialized tools such as  metal scrape. After the determination is made, damaged or deteriorated mortar joints should be removed.

·      Removal of damaged mortar joints: While removing the deteriorated mortar joint, an important thing is to remove the joint to an appropriate depth without  causing extra brick damage. The new mortar should be prepared once the old mortar is removed. Make sure that the new mortar composition is as same as the existing mortar or else there will be more chances of premature mortar corrosion.

·      Applying new mortar: The new Mortar is then placed between the brick using finishing tools made of steel with a convex tip. The tool is then run over the newly applied mortar to match the shape of the mortar used on the older joints.

·      Applying sealant:At the end, apply a water resistant sealant layer on the mortar to prevent it from water penetrating in your chimney. It will help in extending the life of your mortar joints.

  

How to prepare old brick and masonry before painting?

Exterior painting in Chicago on bricked and masonry surfaces is very common. However, some people like rough look of bricks on walls and masonry, while its eyesore to the others. If you’re one of those who don’t appreciate rugged brick on their dwelling, then you must paint these according to style of your home. But before doing so you must prepare your old brick and masonry walls for painting.

It is often recommended to take expert help for these complicated structures of the house. There are various tuckpointing contractors in Evanstonand masonry contractors in Evanston and Hinsdale who can help you to prepare your old surfaces for painting. 

The most important step before beginning, and masonry contractors Hinsdale suggest is to clean bricked surfaces of your house. Proper pressure washing of bricked walls is done to remove all debris, molds and algae (if any) from wall surfaces. After that the surface is left for drying for few days, though drying of the surface depends on temperature and humidity conditions of the region.

Once the cleaning is done, look for any damaged part on the wall or masonry that needs to be repaired, masonry contractors Lakeview and painting contractors Lincoln Park specialize in preparing walls for professional painting, you can consult them in case. Instead of doing it yourself, you can hire professional exterior painting Chicago service because repair of these structures is not easy due to its complex design. Experts can help you to achieve perfect smooth surface of the bricked walls. 

Finally, it’s time to paint the rugged section of your home. Depending on interior or exterior you can select your preferable colors for painting. However, professional painters in Chicago can help you in selection in case you’re confused. Painting contractors in Oak Park are easily available to meet all house painting demands. Always consult experts for better outcome because they can efficiently handle all renovation requirements from cleaning to painting the house.