Chimney Repair Service across Norwich

We can provide help and guidance on the chimney repair you require. Whether your chimney is damaged from the elements or poor construction, get in touch with DH Roofing Contractors today for a free, no-obligation quotation.

A guide to chimney repairs

Why chimneys need attention

A chimney stack stands above the roof with no shelter, exposed to rain, frost and wind on every side. Over time water gets into the mortar joints and the bricks, freezes and expands, and the pointing crumbles and the faces of the bricks flake away. Because chimneys are high up, problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside.

Common chimney repairs

• Repointing: raking out failed mortar and pointing the joints again
• Replacing cracked and crumbling bricks
• Repairing minor cracks before they let water in
• Renewing the lead flashings where the stack meets the roof
• Rebuilding a stack that leans or is too far gone to repair

Chimneys that are no longer used

Many homes have chimneys that no longer serve a fire. A stack that is not needed can be taken down and the roof closed off, which removes the upkeep for good. If the chimney is staying, a disused flue is usually capped with a ventilated cap, which keeps the rain out while letting the flue breathe.

Permission

Repairs to a chimney rarely need permission. Taking down a stack on a listed building, or on a house in a conservation area, may need consent, so check with your local council first.

Safety

A leaning stack or loose bricks can fall in high winds, so it is worth having a chimney looked at promptly if you are worried about it. Working on a chimney safely needs scaffolding or proper access, so it is not a job to attempt from a ladder.

Chimney breast removal

Taking out a chimney breast inside a house is structural work. The stack above it has to be supported or taken down too, the work needs Building Regulations approval, and where the chimney is shared with a neighbour the Party Wall Act may apply. Taking down the stack above the roof and closing the roof off is roofing work, which DH Roofing Contractors carry out, keeping the site clean and taking the rubble away.

Flaunching and chimney pots

The flaunching is the sloped mortar around the pots at the top of the stack. It throws rain off the top and holds the pots in place. Once it cracks, water gets into the stack and the pots can work loose. Renewing the flaunching and rebedding the pots is a common chimney repair.

Repointing a chimney

Repointing means raking the old, crumbling mortar out of the joints to a sound depth and filling them with new mortar. On older brick chimneys, the mortar should be softer than the bricks, so that any movement or moisture is taken by the joint rather than cracking the brick.

Chimney leadwork

Many chimney leaks are not the chimney at all but the lead around it: the apron at the front, the stepped flashings down each side and the back gutter behind. Our roofing leadwork is in rolled lead to BS12588 British standards.

What affects the cost of chimney work

• The height of the chimney and the access needed to reach it safely
• Whether the work is repointing, repairs to bricks and flaunching, a rebuild or a removal
• Whether the leadwork is renewed at the same time
• Matching bricks on an older or listed property

Every quotation from DH Roofing Contractors is free and comes with no obligation.