How Tuckpointing Can Save Your Fireplace
The fireplace is perhaps one of the most crucial components of a home, providing a completely comfortable and warm environment to the occupants of the home on a cold rainy or snowy day. However, it must always be in the most excellent of conditions to continue working well and what better way to do it than with a tuckpointing process.
What is Tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing is a process that aims to repair the mortar of the infrastructure brickwork so that it remains intact and renewed for many more years. It consists of removing the old mortar with a grinder, replacing it with one that is the same color as the brick and cutting a few grooves into the new mortar and then filling it with another layer of mortar. This process can be done either in a small space or throughout the fireplace.
How Tuckpointing Can Save Your Chimney
Although the bricks of your masonry can last hundreds of years, the mortar that holds them together does not, since they are progressively deteriorating due to the onslaught of the weather to the point of compromising the structural integrity of your chimney and causing its subsequent collapse. . It can also cause crevices where water can seep and damage the interiors of your residential space. However, this can be avoided by tuckpointing. The benefits of this process are that it is less expensive than a complete chimney rebuild, reduces heating system usage costs, and increases home value.
What To Look For
Sometimes it happens that problems with your fireplace are well hidden that they are not so easy to detect with the naked eye. However, if you notice stains on the paint or wallpaper around your fireplace, your fireplace may be leaking and moisture is entering your home through the affected areas. If you also notice crumbling mortar, broken or discolored bricks, and odd odors after it rains, your chimney may have internal leaks. In both cases, it is imperative that you seek the help of a professional as soon as possible.
We can help
Here at Craftsmen Masonry & Tuckpointing Chicago we perform chimney repair jobs in the fastest and most efficient way, so that your fireplace lasts much longer and you can use it without problem. We also perform tuckpointing, masonry restoration, caulking, waterproofing services, among others.
