The Best Time of Year for Chimney Repair

Every year, our homes experience a wide range of weather conditions. Even during mild winters, our region can still experience significant snowfall and cold temperatures. Masonry is particularly vulnerable to the elements. What is one of the biggest masonry components of your home? Your chimney. Let’s look at why now is the best time for masonry repairs.

What causes chimney damage?

But before we dive into the why, let’s look at the root cause of the problem: water. Moisture falls in many forms, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Each of these can impact your masonry in various ways.

Obviously, hail can cause physical damage. Beyond that, masonry is a porous material. It absorbs water with relative ease. Rain and snow then turn to ice, which expands. This causes cracks and gaps in your brick and mortar, which leaves more room for water when it melts. Then, when it freezes again, the cracks and gaps get even larger.

Wash, rinse, repeat. This process can lead to significant damage over time, which is why now is the best time for masonry repairs. Here are three big reasons why this is the case.

Reason #1: Temperature

It goes without saying that the spring and summer months are warmer than the wintertime. While that might mean more outdoor activities for each of us, it means something else entirely for contractors.

Namely, that now is the best time for home repairs. Especially with masonry, the materials will set and cure more effectively when it’s warm out than otherwise. This allows for a more effective, long-lasting repair.

Reason #2: Scheduling

Few homeowners use their fireplaces once summer gets here. However, this also means that they’re not thinking about their chimneys.

But as soon as the temperature drops, they will be. Then, it’s like a mad rush to call the team at Dubuque Fireplace and Patio. So why is now the best time for masonry repairs? Easy: you want to get ahead of the crowd and repair your chimney when it’s not in use and won’t be in use, rather than waiting until the fall when it’s time to start using it again.

Reason #3: Preventative repair

Often, contractors talk about the importance of preventative maintenance. Today, we’re putting a slightly different spin on that concept: preventative repair.

Winter is hard on your chimney. We’ve already discussed the freeze-and-thaw cycle. This means that the damage has already been done. Before it leads to larger problems, such as further structural deterioration or leaks within your home, fix the issue now. This can prevent further (and more expensive) problems elsewhere in your home.

What kind of masonry repairs?

While there are many times of masonry repairs, there are several that are more common than others. Those include:

• Repairing spalling bricks
• Tuckpointing and/or repointing
• Repairing a missing/damaged cap and crown 
• Flashing Repair
• Waterproofing

Book your appointment today!

If you have any of these obvious masonry problems or need to schedule your annual sweep and inspection, contact our team ASAP.

We’ll get you on our calendar ahead of the pack so that any masonry repairs have plenty of time to properly set.

Ready to get started? Then call Dubuque Fireplace & Patio at 563-582-5156 or send us a message to book your appointment online.