Summer Is A Great Time For A Fabulous Chimney Facelift

Now that you’re not using your fireplace and chimney every day, maybe you’ve begun to notice that your chimney isn’t looking all that great. Perhaps it has faded or become stained or has areas of ugly damage. Is there anything you can do to improve the appearance of your always-visible chimney?

There are a variety of ways to give your chimney a facelift this summer and end its days of being an eyesore to you and the whole neighborhood. Here are some ideas.

Removing chimney stains

Black stains and white stains are common problems with a lot of chimneys. Black staining usually means soot is exiting the flue, collecting and then running down the bricks when it rains. White staining is caused by salts that are left behind when water evaporates. TSP or another quality cleaner and a scrub brush should quickly remove most chimney stains. However, you need to investigate a little further to find out if more staining down the line can be prevented.

If your chimney has no chimney cap, install one. If your fires are creating excess soot and creosote, try burning drier hardwoods such as maple, hickory, beech or ash. If your chimney flue doesn’t get cleaned regularly, schedule annual chimney sweep services. Finally, white water-staining on masonry could point to a chimney leak that needs to be addressed. Cracks in the masonry are notorious for allowing water to get inside and cause not only exterior staining but also significant structural damage.

Paint the chimney

After you’ve thoroughly cleaned your chimney’s exterior and seen to any needed repairs, you might want to add a coat of paint. A top-quality latex primer and latex exterior paint probably will work fine. There’s no rule that a chimney has to have a traditional reddish color – you can paint yours to match the trim on your house or any other color that grabs you.

Install a fancy chimney cap

Not only do chimney caps protect the chimney, they also can be a cool aesthetic statement. Full-width custom chimney caps are available in many sizes, colors and designs. They’re like a little roof for your chimney and a pleasant finishing touch on the overall style of your home.

Build around the chimney

If bricks simply aren’t exciting to you, build an encasement around your chimney. Materials commonly used for this project include wood, stucco and stone. Unless you’re good with this kind of work, you should enlist the services of a remodeling contractor or handyman to make sure the job turns out just the way you want it.

Chimney masonry repair

Before undertaking a summer chimney facelift project, it’s a good idea to see to any brick work that needs doing. Start by scheduling a professional chimney inspection with a certified technician who understands your chimney system inside and out and can spot early signs of damage before it gets out of control

Have identified repair work completed. Then, when you get started with your refurbishing work, you’ll know that your chimney is in top shape and won’t end up undoing all the work you’ve done. Black Moose Chimney & Stove of Antrim, NH, is on call year-round to help with chimney masonry repair, brick work, tuckpointing, waterproofing and other services to keep your chimney in top shape.

We also offer CSIA-certified chimney sweeping and professional chimney inspections. Call (603) 525-7905 with questions or to schedule an appointment before you begin your chimney facelift project.