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.

  

Tips to Keep Textured Walls Looking New

Textured walls look more appealing any day. But they look their most attractive when they are spick and span.

Textured walls need to be cleaned with special processes and tools to make them look new. If you prevent your walls from getting too dirty, cleaning won’t be much of a problem. Even if you don’t have much time to spare, going over them with a moist cloth or the vacuum once a week should suffice.  Have a look at some of the steps that you can follow.

1. Materials that you will need
Before you start the project, be sure to stock up on brushes, paint bucket, a couple of old tooth brushes and drop cloths. Most of these items can be easily found at home.

2.Start by removing the dust
Removal of dust is the first step of this cleaning mission. Use the brush attachment of the vacuum cleaner and vacuum your walls carefully. Take special care of cleaning the small corners and small spaces. Do not be too forceful when using the brush. 

3.Get your soap solution ready
Fill two buckets with water. To one of them, add a mild detergent and keep the other one plain. You can use any cleaning solution lying at home or get a specialized one from your hardware store.

4.Start cleaning the walls
Wear an old pair of nylon socks on your hands and start doing the needful. A sponge is not advisable as small pieces of it may break and sick to the texture. You can also combine an old toothbrush with the socks. If at any time you are not sure, call in the experts from any house painting Services Company in Chicago.

5. Rinsing the walls
Now use the plain water in the other bucket and rinse the walls using clean socks. It is important that all the soap is removed or else it will leave back white residue on the walls. You must allow the wall to dry naturally.