Not Every Damaged Chimney Needs a Rebuild
There's a middle ground between repointing and rebuilding: targeted brick repair. When the damage is localized — a section of spalling brick on the weather side, a handful of loose units, a cracked section — we cut out the bad brick and lay in new units matched to the existing. It's surgery instead of replacement, and for the right chimney it's the smart call.
What We Fix
- Spalling brick. When the faces of bricks flake or pop off, it's usually freeze-thaw damage or hard mortar beating up soft brick. We replace the damaged units with brick matched in size and hardness — and we address the cause, not just the symptom.
- Loose or missing brick. Units that move or have fallen out entirely. Left alone, every missing brick is a hole for water — and the damage spreads to the surrounding masonry.
- Cracked sections. Vertical or stair-step cracks through the brickwork, often from settlement, thermal movement, or past trauma (like a chimney fire or a lightning strike nearby). We evaluate whether it's cosmetic or structural before repairing.
- Damaged shoulders and wash areas. The sloped transition where the chimney narrows (the shoulder) takes brutal weather. We rebuild these sections with proper slope so water sheds instead of sitting.
Matching Matters
A repair that looks like a patch is a failed repair aesthetically, even if it's sound structurally. We source brick matched to your chimney's size, color range, and texture. On older homes this sometimes means finding reclaimed or specially matched brick — we'd rather take the time than leave you with a visible scar on your house.
The Cause Comes First
Replacing spalled brick without fixing why it spalled is a temporary repair. Before we lay a single unit, we identify the cause: failed crown letting water in from the top, missing cap, bad flashing, hard mortar on soft brick, or just decades of freeze-thaw with no waterproofing. The repair includes fixing the cause — otherwise you're paying us again in five years.
Send the form with photos of the damaged areas. Close-ups of the worst brick help us come prepared with matching material.