What it is
A chimney rebuild replaces the courses that have failed beyond what tuckpointing can save — almost always the above-roof section, where weather hits hardest. The work runs from a single shoulder course up to taking the chimney down to the roofline and rebuilding from there.
When you need it
- Stair-step cracks running through multiple courses
- A leaning or bowing stack visible against the gable line
- A cracked, sloped, or missing crown
- A rusted-through cap allowing rain into the flue
- Brick faces spalled by freeze-thaw to the point that mortar can’t be repacked
A chimney that’s failing above the roof is a slow-motion safety problem. Loose brick falls. Open crowns let water down into the firebox. A flue with eroded liner is a code failure waiting for the next inspection.
How we do it
We pull the cap, the crown, and the courses down to sound masonry — sometimes two courses, sometimes back to the roofline. We salvage usable brick where we can; on historic chimneys this matters more than on contemporary work. We rebuild with mortar matched to the existing wall below, set flue tile or stainless liner where the existing flue has spalled, pour a new crown with proper slope and a two-inch overhang past the brick face, and set a new copper or stainless cap.
Materials and methods
- Matched brick — salvaged from the rebuild itself, sourced regionally, or selected from period reclaim stock for pre-1940s work
- Type N or O mortar above the firebox; refractory mortar on smoke chamber and firebox brick
- Clay flue tile or stainless steel liner depending on appliance and inspection requirements
- Cast crown with a kerf and overhang — not a flat parge that cracks in two winters
- Copper or stainless cap — galvanized rusts out in a decade
We coordinate with your sweep or chimney inspector on liner sizing and clearance. If you don’t have one, we’ll name the people we work with.