Chimney repair is a challenging task
A roof chimney funnels smoke up and away from your home, keeping the roof area clean and free of soot. It also prevents smoke from lingering in or near your yard, because it vents the smoke at an elevated height. The chimney endures the elements year round, including rain, freezing and thawing. These elements can damage the mortar in between the chimney bricks. Repairing this damage requires skill and balance. Be prepared for this challenge before you attempt to repair the chimney. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Set your ladder against the side of the house, not the roof, when attempting to access the chimney area. Wear rubber-soled shoes while on the roof. Attach a safety harness around the chimney, and secure the harness to your body. Put on protective goggles.
2. Grind out the cracked and damaged mortar using a mortar grinder. Be sure to wear eye protection and gloves during this task. Turn on the grinder, and place the edge of the grinder's disk to the mortar. Move it from side to side to grind out the mortar. Remove all of the damaged mortar until only solid, uncracked mortar remains. Only remove mortar around one single brick at a time. Removing too much mortar will destabilize the chimney.
3. Brush away the mortar dust until the area is clean and free from residue with a soft bristle brush.
4. Apply mortar to the joints between the bricks where you removed the cracked mortar. Scoop up some mortar onto the flat edge of the joint trowel, and then push the mortar into the joint with the trowel. Use a mortar hawk on the horizontal joints. Place mortar on the surface of the mortar hawk, and hold it flat against the brick right below the joint. With the edge of the trowel, push the mortar forward along the surface of the mortar hawk, and slide it into the joint until it is filled. Scrape away the excess mortar from each joint with the edge of the trowel. Allow the mortar to dry, and inspect your work to ensure it has set up properly.
5. Inspect the crown of the chimney for cracks and breaks in the mortar. Replace mortar around the flashing, if necessary. Chisel away the old mortar with a masonry chisel and ball-peen hammer. Brush the area clean, and then apply mortar by loading a flat trowel with mortar, holding the trowel at an angle and swiping the mortar along the flashing. Repeat this as necessary.
Tags: area clean, mortar hawk, area clean free, away mortar, clean free, damaged mortar, edge trowel
