Chimney Rebuilding
When chimneys fall into major disrepair from old age, neglect, extreme weather or other events, some level of chimney rebuilding often is necessary to restore strength and safety to the structure.
Fire N’ Stone of Tilton, NH, brings 10+ years of experience to every chimney service and rebuilding project, guaranteeing a result that will not only look fantastic but serve you well for many years to come.
Why Do Chimneys Need to Be Rebuilt?
The simple answer is, chimneys need to be rebuilt when their condition poses a safety risk to people who live in the home and the home itself.
As to what can damage a chimney severely enough to warrant partial or complete rebuilding, the possibilities are numerous and include:
- Lightning strikes
- Old age
- Neglected maintenance
- Powerful hail storms
- Earthquakes
- Normal house-settling
- Shifts in an improperly built chimney footing
- Gale-force wind storms
- Ongoing water damage
How We Approach Chimney Rebuilds
Before any work is started, the first thing we’ll want to do is a thorough chimney inspection. By examining closely the exterior masonry and components, we’ll be able to tell where the damage is centralized, what caused it and how extensive it is.
In some cases, we can perform basic repairs such as mortar or brick replacement to get a chimney back into shape. In other cases, damage throughout the system is so severe that only rebuilding will solve the problem.
Chimney Rebuilding Solutions
- Rebuilding the chimney stack (the visible part above the roof line)
- Rebuilding some or all of the stack along with the concrete chimney crown
- Rebuilding the chimney breast (the part below the roof line)
- Rebuilding the entire chimney from the ground up
After we assess the situation, we’ll talk with you about your options and tell you what we recommend as the best way to resolve the damage.
The Fire N’ Stone team is made up of experienced masons who have years of hands-on experience in a very wide range of chimney rebuilding and restoration projects throughout New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. We’re licensed and fully insured, and we do all the work ourselves – we never subcontract any part of any project to other companies.
How to Prevent Major Chimney Damage
When chimney rebuilding is necessary, it must be done. But you’ll be better off if you prevent the damage from happening in the first place. Here are five things you can do toward this end.
- Schedule annual chimney sweep services to remove creosote, which is both acidic and flammable.
- Schedule annual chimney inspections by one of our CSIA-certified technicians to spot early signs of damage to your chimney’s masonry and components.
- Along with chimney sweeping, reduce the chances of a chimney fire by burning only dry firewood in your fireplace – never burn clothing, plastics, pressed board, household garbage or magazines, and never use lighter fluid or any other accelerant to start a fire.
- Keep an eye out for early signs of chimney damage such as loose/cracked bricks and crumbling mortar. This can be fixed through chimney tuckpointing.
- Call us if you notice signs of a chimney leak such as water in the firebox, damp ceiling/walls in the room that houses your fireplace, or heavy, musty odors coming from the fireplace.
Fire N’ Stone is ready to restore safety and functionality to your chimney and to help keep your chimney safe and running efficiently all year long. Speak with a certified chimney expert today at (603) 293-4040.
We serve Holderness NH, Center Harbor NH, Moultonborough NH, Plymouth NH, Concord NH, and other Lakes Region communities.