Historical Chimney Restoration
If you have an older, historic home, your chimney may have some issues that need to be addressed. Many chimneys built in the 1800s and early 1900s never had a chimney liner, which serves both to protect the chimney structure and provide a smooth, properly sized passage for smoke drafting.
Many other issues are common in chimneys after they pass 70 or 80 years in service. We’ll cover some of them here.
Fire N’ Stone of Tilton, NH, performs chimney restoration projects throughout New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. We understand the unique needs of older chimneys and are fully licensed and insured to rebuild these types of chimneys.
Historic Chimney Repair Concerns
Here are some of the issues we can address and resolve correctly for you.
No Chimney Liner
Chimney liners made of stainless steel, clay tiles or a poured-in-place compound are excellent ways to protect the inside of your chimney against damage from fire and corrosion.
Older chimneys weren’t built with liners, and your historic chimney likely doesn’t have one unless one was installed long after it was built.
Our team of certified technicians can add a sturdy new stainless steel chimney liner to keep your chimney running safely and efficiently.
Masonry Damage
Most older chimneys will show signs of compromise in their bricks and mortar if regular maintenance work hasn’t been done through the years.
Cracked bricks and crumbling mortar allow water to penetrate and then freeze and expand in the winter, causing more serious and widespread damage.
We provide all levels of historic chimney repair including tuckpointing, brick replacement, chimney rebuilding and masonry waterproofing.
Chimney Leaks
Older chimneys often leak because of issues in various areas within the chimney structure including:
- Damaged or missing chimney cap
- Cracked concrete chimney crown
- Cracked bricks and decayed mortar
- Warped or otherwise damaged chimney flashing
Fire N’ Stone has the right solutions for these and all other problems that lead to dangerous damage-causing chimney leaks.
Flue Blockages
When your flue is full of tree debris and other obstructions such as the nests of small animals who have used your chimney as a birthing ground, all kinds of trouble can result.
Blockages impede the drafting of smoke. The flue of your historic chimney should have been sized correctly to vent your fireplace, but obstructions narrow the passage and can send harmful gases such as carbon monoxide into your home.
We’ll remove all flue obstructions and inspect the system to make sure that the flue is, in fact, properly sized for your fireplace.
Chimney Footing Issues
Chimney footings that support older chimneys often fall into disrepair and need to be re-stabilized. If the footing was built with inferior materials or workmanship, problems are much more likely.
A chimney that leans to one side is often caused by footing issues. Leaning chimneys are dangerous and should not be used until repairs are made.
Our chimney repair techs will inspect your chimney footing and ensure that the chimney system is sound and secure from top to bottom.
Excess Creosote
Flammable creosote forms every time you use your fireplace. Depending on when your chimney was last properly cleaned, you may have a significant buildup of this substance.
Advances in tools, technology and training allow modern chimney sweeps to do a very thorough job when removing solid, flakey or sticky creosote from your flue. Our chimney sweeps are trained and certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
We’ll carefully and safely clean out existing creosote, making sure not to harm any part of your historic chimney system. This will help your fireplace to draft more efficiently while significantly reducing the chance of a chimney fire.
Restore Beauty & Safety to Your Historic Chimney
If your older chimney needs some attention, call New Hampshire’s historic chimney restoration experts at (603) 293-4040. Fire N’ Stone serves Alton NH, Wolfeboro NH, Gilford NH, Laconia NH, and all other Lakes Region communities.