Chimney repairs and repointing
Repointing, re-flaunching, new pots and cowls, or a full rebuild.
In short
Chimneys fail before the rest of the roof because they are exposed on every side and take the worst of the weather. The usual work is repointing brickwork where the mortar has washed out, renewing the flaunching (the mortar bed the pots sit in), replacing cracked pots, fitting cowls to keep rain and birds out, and redressing the lead flashing where the stack passes through the roof. Badly decayed stacks are taken down and rebuilt.
A chimney is the most weather-beaten part of any house. It stands proud of the roof with no shelter, so driven rain hits it from every side and frost gets into any mortar that has started to go. Left long enough, water tracks down inside the stack and shows up as damp on the chimney breast in the bedroom.
Signs your chimney needs attention
- Mortar joints washed out or crumbling between the bricks
- Cracked or missing flaunching around the base of the pots
- Damp patches on the chimney breast inside the house
- Lead flashing lifting, split or pulling away from the brickwork
- Cracked, loose or leaning pots
- Vegetation growing out of the stack, or nests in the pots
What the job involves
Every roof is different, but the shape of the work is usually the same. Here is how a typical chimney repairs and repointing job runs.
Inspect the stack
Brickwork, flaunching, pots and flashing all get checked, since it is often more than one of them that has gone.
Rake out and repoint
Old mortar is cut out properly and the joints repointed with a suitable mix, rather than smeared over the top of what is already failing.
Renew the flaunching
The mortar bed the pots sit in is cut off and rebuilt so it sheds water away from the pots instead of holding it.
Pots, cowls and flashing
Cracked pots replaced, cowls fitted where they are wanted, and the lead flashing and soakers redressed or renewed.
Rebuild where needed
Where a stack is too far gone to repoint, it is taken down to a sound course and rebuilt, reusing the original brick where it is suitable.
Want someone to take a look?
Call 07718 155997 or send a photo on WhatsApp and you will get a straight answer on what it needs.
Chimney repairs and repointing near you
Weather Proof Roofing and Building Services covers Cheshire, North Wales, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. Pick your area for local detail, or call 07718 155997 if you are not sure whether you are in range.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to repair a chimney I no longer use?
Yes. A disused stack still has to keep water out of the house, and it is still masonry sitting high above a garden or footpath. Capping it and keeping the pointing sound is far cheaper than dealing with damp or a collapse.
What is chimney flaunching?
Flaunching is the sloped bed of mortar on top of the stack that holds the pots in place and sheds rainwater off the top. When it cracks, water runs straight down into the brickwork, which is why it is one of the first things to check on a damp chimney.
Should I remove the chimney instead of repairing it?
Taking a stack down below roof level and covering over is sometimes sensible on a chimney that is no longer used and badly decayed. It changes how the house looks and can affect ventilation to old flues, so it is worth talking through both options first.
Why is damp showing on my chimney breast?
Almost always water getting into the stack from above, through washed-out pointing, cracked flaunching or failed flashing, then tracking down inside the brickwork. Treating the wall inside does nothing while water is still getting in at the top.
Do you need scaffolding for chimney work?
Usually yes. Anything beyond a quick look needs a safe platform at the stack, and repointing or rebuilding certainly does. Occasionally a chimney can be reached from a tower or a roof ladder on a shallow pitch.