Chimney Repair in Los Angeles
Maingreen Remodel & Construction does chimney repair in Los Angeles: full chimney rebuilds, tuck-pointing, flue liner replacement and interior damage repairs, along with chimney sweeping and inspection.
With Maingreen Remodel & Construction’s chimney repair service, we provide all-around assistance for your chimney needs. Chimney sweeping and cleaning are only a part of the maintenance necessary to keep your chimney functioning and working efficiently.
What chimney repair covers, from the crown down
Chimney damage usually starts where water gets in: the crown and cap at the top, the mortar joints and the flashing where the chimney meets the roof. These are the repairs, from small to large:
Crown, cap and flashing
The crown sheds rain off the top of the chimney, the cap keeps rain, leaves and animals out of the flue, and the flashing seals the joint with the roof. A stain on the ceiling next to the chimney often starts at one of them; see roof repair.
Tuck-pointing
Crumbling mortar is raked out and the joints are refilled with new mortar, so water stays out of the brick and the masonry holds together.
Flue liner replacement
A cracked or missing liner lets heat and smoke reach the brick and the house framing. The Chimney Safety Institute of America notes that stainless steel liners for wood-burning appliances must be insulated, while liners for gas appliances do not need it.
Chimney rebuild
Loose or broken brick, a leaning stack or a failed crown: the damaged part is taken down and rebuilt, above the roofline or, for a full chimney rebuild, from lower down.
Interior damage repairs
Stained or cracked plaster, damaged drywall and wet framing beside the fireplace are repaired once the leak is stopped. Larger leaks are a water damage job.
Chimney Repair Services
As chimney repair contractors, we want to help you prevent the elements from harming your masonry. For instance, as odd as it may seem, water causes more damage to chimney masonry than fire. While the brick and/or other materials that make up the exterior of your home are protected by the roof and eaves, your chimney is completely exposed to the elements; rain, snow, and freeze/thaw cycles.
Chimney Sweeping Inspection and Repair
We’ll Turn Your Ideas into a Reality
What’s more, chimneys are usually constructed from materials that suffer accelerated deterioration as a result of prolonged contact with water. A masonry chimney is constructed of a variety of masonry and metal materials, including brick, mortar, tile, steel and cast iron. These kinds of materials deteriorate quickly when exposed to the freeze/thaw process, in which the moisture that has penetrated the materials periodically freezes and expands, causing undue stress. Water also causes rust in steel and cast iron, weakening or destroying the metal parts of your chimney.
Increase Fire Safety
An unclean chimney is a fire hazard. According to the latest Consumer Products Safety Commission report, chimney fires represent the second-largest share of all residential fires.
Remove Flue Obstructions
The uppermost section of the chimney is the chimney crown. And if the crown does not have a sturdy chimney cap, leaves, twigs, and dirt from nearby trees can blow in the flue. It also allows small animals and rodents to take cover where they often get trapped unable to escape.
Prolong the Life of Your Chimney
Professional chimney cleaning prolongs the life of your chimney. The chimney sweep scrubs the flue liner and the interior walls to remove creosote and other stains from the masonry.
Brick chimneys and earthquakes
A masonry chimney is heavy, rigid and brittle, so in an earthquake it moves differently from the wood-frame house around it. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes’ Earthquake Strong fact sheet gives two things to know:
- How to check yours: look for straps, braces or steel brackets tying the chimney to the roof or attic framing, reinforcing steel inside it, and retrofit records or permits.
- The retrofit: the firebox and chimney are replaced with light-frame construction above the top of the foundation, and the masonry fireplace and mantel give way to a factory-built fireplace unit.
For the house itself, see the earthquake retrofit notes on our foundation repair page.
Signs your chimney needs repair
Water
Stains on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney, rust on the damper, damp brick inside the firebox.
Masonry
Crumbling mortar, chipped or loose bricks, a cracked crown, a stack that leans.
Smoke and smell
Smoke coming into the room, or a strong smell in summer: CSIA traces that odor to creosote deposits in the flue.
After a chimney fire
Warped damper metal, cracked flue tiles, creosote flakes on the roof or ground, smoke escaping through mortar joints. CSIA advises not using the chimney until it is swept and evaluated.
Fireplace rules in Los Angeles to know before a rebuild
South Coast AQMD Rule 445 decides what a rebuilt fireplace can be in the South Coast Air Basin part of the district:
- What may be installed: a new or used permanently installed wood-burning or gas device may only be an EPA-certified wood-burning heater, a pellet-fueled heater, a masonry heater or a dedicated gas fireplace.
- Newer homes: no wood-burning device may be permanently installed in a home whose construction began on or after March 9, 2009.
- No-Burn days: from November through the end of February, the district can declare 24-hour bans on burning wood in fireplaces, stoves and outdoor fire pits. Gas fireplaces are exempt; Check Before You Burn lists the other exemptions.
How does it work?
The Maingreen Remodel & Construction Chimney Care Service
Step 1 – Call us for your free assessment. One of our dedicated representatives will come to YOUR door.
Step 2 – We will let you know our best recommendations for your specific request, saving you money and time wherever possible and 3D design for your new chimney.
Step 3 – Our expert repairs and designers team get to work on your home repair.
Step 4 – Your chimney repair is completed on time and on budget.
Step 5 – Voila! be amazed with your new chimney repair or new fireplace.
What sets the cost of chimney repair
Height and access
One or two stories, the roof’s pitch and material, and how the crew can reach the top safely.
How much is damaged
A crown and a few joints, the part above the roofline, or the whole chimney.
Liner and fireplace
The liner type and flue size, and whether the fireplace stays, gets an insert or becomes a factory-built unit.
Repairs around it
Roof flashing and shingles, and the ceilings and walls inside that the water reached.
We apply for all the permits your home improvement project requires well before construction. The assessment is free, and a fireplace makeover can be part of a larger home remodel.
Rest Assured. Working with us is a GREAT decision.
With hundreds of happy customers, we know you will be satisfied with our work, our friendliness and our attention to detail. We are dedicated to making your dream home remodel a positive experience.
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