Apart from the routine cleaning of the flues, most house owners hardly bother about the care and maintenance of their brick chimney. Over an extended period of use, cracks are bound to appear on the masonry walls due to exposure to the natural elements and other unforeseen reasons. If left unattended, the cracks and spalling in a brick chimney can deteriorate fast, and when the critical stage is reached, they can destroy the whole chimney. To drive in the importance of regular maintenance of your brick chimney, the minimum cost of chimney repair can be easily 1000$ or even thrice this amount if the damage is serious. All these huge expenses can easily be avoided by timely intervention and sealing of the bricks and the crown of the chimney effectively. By spending as little as 300$, you can provide the chimney with a cap, which in turn will add years of extra life to your brick chimney.
Chimney repair
Chimneys form an integral part of any well designed building and are responsible for eliminating any toxic gases which can be formed. Chimneys can also turn dangerous into a virtual gas chamber if in a bad condition. In order to make your chimney serve you better,you can do the periodic chimney repair work yourself or hire a professional to do the job for you. In case you are unable to do the job yourself for whatever the reason, then opt for good and trained outside help. Prices for this will vary from area to area and even from individual to individual. Keeping various factors of to what extent has the damage spread, a rough estimate of repair costs is underlined.
Sweeping
Depend on the amount of sweeping required, this could cost anything between 150$ to 300$.
Chimney flashing repairs
These repairs occur due to leakages, which if don’t get attended can cause serious harm. Sealants are a good option to provide waterproofing of the brick walls. Costs range between 150$ to 350$.
Chimney cap installation
A chimney cap prevents water and other material to enter the chimney and is of great importance for the whole chimney. They cost as little as 150$ to 300$ and enhance the chimney life a lot.
Cleaning the flue
Rubbish, bird or animal nests can block the vital pipe which takes the harmful air out of the house. This will have an effect on the internal heating as well. There are many cleaning implements available in the market for as low as 10$.
Tuck pointing the chimney
This job requires mortar to be filled in the brick joints, wherever faulty. Rough estimated cost 175$.
Chimney overhaul
This job needs to be undertaken when the chimney is beyond repair and needs to be rebuilt completely. Depending on the reputation of the agency, this can cause a minimum of 1000$.
Remember if you have opted for a chimney repair professional, you must first talk directly to him. Check out the references and only when you are convinced about his ability, then hire him.
