MASONRY REPAIR OF YOUR CHIMNEY
Moisture creeping into bricks and the mortar that bonds the chimney together is the main reason for masonry failure. Masonry repair of your chimney is a very important part of maintaining a safe fireplace in your home. The penetrating moisture not only weakens the mortar that bonds the masonry units together, but it also promotes premature deterioration of brick. If moisture finds its way into a defect on the brick and, by chance, freezes, it causes the brick to spall, deflect, or displace. Once this happens, the brick loses its structural support to the masonry wall. Removing defective bricks will prevent water damage from spreading to the remaining healthy, sound bricks.
A Sweep Across the Bay has the experience to find what caused the masonry problem and how to stop it from occurring again through effective masonry repair. We understand that buildings all have different needs, and budget constraints play a large role. Therefore, we present each client with a restoration plan with several options.
TUCK POINTING
Tuck Pointing is the term used today when referring to a joint being repaired. Years ago, it meant something completely different. Tuck Pointing means removing the existing mortar from between bricks, stone, or blocks to a depth of about ½ inch and replacing it with new mortar. Tuck Pointing is not considered to be a structural repair. Many contractors sell it as a structural repair, but it is not; it is an aesthetic repair. Some will argue that it helps the overall structure, and in some cases, this may be true. However, because we cannot get the new mortar all the way across the joint, the industry does not recognize any structural effect.
