Chimney Tuckpointing Extends Life of the Chimney – Chimney Repointing

You’ll see our brightly marked trucks on their way to provide chimney sweep services like tuckpointing and chimney waterproofing in towns like Glastonbury, Manchester, Hebron, Portland, East Hampton, Marlborough, Ellington, Andover, Rocky Hill, Kensington, and more.

When the mortar on your chimney has deteriorated, it can expose the masonry material to excessive moisture. It is imperative to replace the mortar before the internal damage worsens, causing serious (and expensive) problems. Tuckpointing involves scraping out ineffective & deteriorating mortar and replacing it with fresh mortar. The process of tuckpointing recreates the original condition of the bricks and mortar, keeping harmful moisture out of the important components of your chimney system. This critical work can add many decades to the life of your chimney because it prevents water from entering between the bricks, causing cracks or spalling.

Chimney sweeps use tuckpointing techniques to remove deteriorated or cracked mortar, and then place new mortar in the joints to create a seal of protection against moisture. This service is often needed after chimneys have lost their ability to stop water & rain from entering the brick chimney wall. NEC’s chimney sweeps are highly-skilled craftsmen that delicately rake out the mortar lines with specialized hand tools and rotary grinding blades, then neatly fill the joints with white mortar in perfectly-presented, even rows. A simple tuckpointing job done at first signs of deterioration can prevent further damage from occurring. If left neglected for too long, water damage can require a complete chimney rebuild, so it’s best to address the situation early. Contact us today if you notice crumbling mortar joints on your chimney.

Tuckpointing is a term that stems from a technique started back in the 1800’s. The goal was to make cheaper, uneven bricks look like the more expensive “rubbed” bricks which looked perfectly aligned when finished with white mortar. Early Tuckpointers could use a less expensive brick and a matching red mortar, then use a fine line of white material and push it into the joints before the mortar set. Today, the terms “Point”, “Repoint”, and “Tuckpoint” are often used to describe similar processes which has created a bit of confusion among homeowners. There are a number of different methods for fixing deteriorating mortar joints, ranging from using plastic mortar to fill in joints in new masonry, to placing plastic mortar into existing raked-out joints (creating an even appearance), and using mortar that matches the color of the brick, then overlaying it with a strip of material in a contrasting color. On some occasions, the joint areas are left uncolored to create a dimensional difference that will look well without a colored mortar line.

Mortar may typically last only 25 years, but bricks are capable of lasting more than 100 years. The key to longevity is to make sure the joints are repointed as soon as the mortar begins to break down.  This helps to decrease the amount of water & moisture  that is able to enter the bricks, creating a weatherproof seal that will extend the life of your chimney. Since a poorly-done repointing job can devalue your home & lead to future problems, it’s best to hire a professional. We have spent decades keeping the chimneys around Glastonbury, CT in top shape, and our tuckpointing service has helped save homeowners time & money. Check out our past projects and don’t be afraid to ask for references. We stand behind our work, and that’s why we have maintained a great reputation as CT’s favorite chimney sweep service.