When Your Chimney Has Spalling Brick

You want to make sure that your fireplace is in good shape, regardless of whether you use it for its aesthetic value, to keep warm, or both. Your failure to do so might result in additional expenses beyond financial ones. A faulty fireplace or chimney may be quite dangerous.

What exactly is a speller brick?
When water penetrates a brick, it has the potential to cause the surface to flake, peel, or pop out. In time, it is even capable of causing the brick to disintegrate.

What are the Roots of Brick Spalling?
In most cases, spalled bricks are the result of using mortar that has been improperly prepared in terms of its compression rate when the bricks are being heated. The expansion of the bricks is accommodated for by the mortar, which is designed to be resilient in the face of extreme conditions such as the freezing and thawing cycle. When the freeze and thaw cycles take place, the mortar that isn’t staying together won’t be able to absorb any moisture. This indicates that it may exert pressure on the brick rather than the other way around (as it should normally be).

In addition to the fact that the mortar may not be of the greatest quality or may simply be too old, the following are some of the elements that might cause spalling of bricks or at the very least hasten the process when the mortar is of poor quality: moisture, temperature extremes, and vibration.

It’s possible that the architectural structure of the outside of your house might encourage spalling. It may undoubtedly put a strain on both the mortar and the bricks, especially if it is fragile or if it leads the brick to be exposed to the elements.
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The condition of the bricks that line the exterior of your home might have a role in the spalling that occurs in the chimney bricks. Because every component of the construction of your home is dependent on every other component, even the slightest weakness might produce an issue that can lead to spalling.
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The environment has a significant impact on spalling. The mortar will expand and become easier to remove if the weather is wet or chilly. This compromise has the potential to put strain on the bricks and very quickly cause difficulties. This is by far the most prevalent cause of spalling in environments that are both damp and chilly.
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Bricks that have been salvaged have a greater propensity to be more quickly damaged by moisture than bricks of the highest grade.
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Bricks in your chimney may spall for a variety of reasons, including their structure. If the building’s structure is substandard, the mortar and bricks won’t be able to perform to their full potential.
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It is common practice to make use of pressure washers in order to thoroughly clean the bricks. However, they can also harm them, making them more susceptible to spalling as a result. Sandblasting has the potential to produce the same undesirable results.
-Masonry degradation can occur if your roof does not support good drainage. This is due to the fact that the mortar and the bricks will remain wet for an excessive amount of time.
Cracks in chimney crowns are fairly common and may easily lead to spalling bricks because they allow for saturation of the bricks and the mortar. Cracks in chimney crowns are pretty common and can easily lead to spalling bricks.

The Challenge Presented by Spalled Brick
It is essential to do routine maintenance on a chimney in order to keep it looking nice and ensuring that it functions appropriately. The appearance of spalls in the brickwork of a chimney is one of the first warning signs that it is in need of some TLC. The damaged bricks expose the porous interior, which opens the door for water damage, which over time can harm your brickwork.

If you suspect that your chimney or fireplace is having some issues, have an expert inspect it. Call Local Chimney Sweep Cleaning today. We also offer Chimney Cleaning Greenwood and other affordable services.

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