Chimney repair in Tallahassee, FL - a chimney that keeps the water out of your house
Cracked crown, ceiling stain by the fireplace or crumbling joints? We find where the water gets in and repair it so the brick stays dry.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does chimney repair in Tallahassee involve?
Chimney repair in Tallahassee means finding the part of your chimney that has let water in or worn out with age and fixing it properly, whether that calls for a new cap, a sealed crown, fresh mortar in the joints or a partial rebuild of the top.
Most people call us after they notice something, such as a crack across the concrete on top, a stain on the ceiling by the fireplace or grains of mortar on the roof or hearth. The crown is that sloped concrete cap, and it's there to shed rain, so once it cracks the water runs into the brick below, and a crack caught early saves the brick underneath. The price turns on which part failed, how far the water has spread, how tall the chimney stands and whether we need scaffolding. The schedule turns on the size of the job and the weather, since we don't lay mortar in the rain, and my written estimate puts the figure for your own chimney on paper.
How we handle chimney repair
I start by finding the water, because most chimney trouble starts there and a new joint won't last under a crown that's still letting rain in. I check the crown, the flashing, which is the metal seal where the chimney meets the roof, and the mortar joints, and then our crew fixes the source first and the damage second. Where the joints are worn, we repoint them, raking out the old mortar and packing in new by hand, the way I was taught. On an older chimney we match the new mortar to the old instead of reaching for something harder, because a hard mortar like Portland cement can leave old brick taking on moisture until it fails. If yours was built with lime mortar, it's fair to ask any mason which mortar they plan to use, and I'll gladly tell you mine.
Chimney work often turns up other masonry that needs the same care. If the mortar on your house walls has worn the way the chimney's has, tuckpointing those walls while we're set up saves a second visit, and brick that's cracked or flaking at the face, on the chimney or the house, falls under our brick repair work.
Crown sealing or a new cap
This suits a chimney whose brick and joints are still sound but whose top has cracked or lost its cap. Sealing or replacing it early keeps rain off the brick before the damage has a chance to spread.
Repointing or a partial rebuild
This is for a chimney with washed-out joints or loosening bricks, usually near the top where the weather hits hardest. We repoint where the brick is sound and rebuild only the rows of brick that can't be saved.
If you see a fresh stain or bits of brick and mortar on the roof, please call rather than wait. We answer calls and messages within one business day.
What happens when you call us about your chimney?
From the first call to the final look at the finished work, you deal with me and the small crew I trained. Here is how a chimney repair usually runs with us.
Tell us what you've noticed
Call (850) 391-6065 or send the form, and mention the signs you've seen and roughly how old your roof is. That tells me where to start looking when I come out.
I look it over with you
I come out myself, look the chimney over with you and explain what I see before I write anything down. You then get a written estimate in plain words that names which part failed, what we'll do about it and what it costs.
We schedule and do the work
If you go ahead, we set a start that suits you and take care of the permit side where one applies. I work alongside our crew, and on the larger jobs we leave room in the schedule for the weather.
We clean up and walk it together
We clean up as we go, so your roof and yard aren't left with mortar and broken brick. When the work is done, I walk it with you before we call it finished.
Get a written estimate for your chimney repair
We reply within one business day to set a visit. I come out, look the chimney over with you and leave a written estimate, free of charge and with no pressure or obligation.
(850) 391-6065Chimney repair permits and work in Tallahassee
In Tallahassee, permits come through the city's Growth Management Department, which handles every permit needed to build, renovate or expand a structure, and the city applies Florida's state codes to altered structures as well as new ones. Whether a particular chimney repair needs a permit is a question to settle with the city before work starts, and I won't guess at it. The city and Leon County share one permit portal where you can look up permits, schedule inspections and see the results. Where a permit applies, we help you find out which office handles your property and take care of the paperwork for our part of the work.
Many of the chimneys we're called to stand on older brick homes, where the original mortar is often softer than what's sold by the bag today, so I look closely at the old joints before we choose a mix. We do the same careful work on jobs in Bradfordville and Crawfordville, and across the other cities around Tallahassee.
Chimney repair questions from Tallahassee homeowners
How much does chimney repair cost in Tallahassee?
Chimney repair in Tallahassee usually costs about $500 to $6,500 per project, depending on what failed. Sealing a crown or fitting a cap sits toward the low end, while a full repoint with scaffolding or a partial rebuild of the top sits toward the high end. The written estimate from my visit gives you the figure for your own chimney.
Why is there a water stain on my ceiling near the fireplace?
Chimney guides point to the flashing first, the metal seal where the chimney meets the roof, as the most common cause of a stain near the fireplace. Roofers and chimney masons both handle flashing, so if your roof is due for replacement soon, doing the two together saves paying for flashing twice. If the flashing is replaced, a masonry trade group advises against aluminum against brick, because the alkalis in fresh mortar attack it.
How long does chimney repair take?
A new cap or a sealed crown usually takes a couple of hours, and repointing one side of a chimney takes about a day. A full repoint that needs scaffolding, or a partial rebuild, usually runs two to four days if the weather cooperates, so it's wise to leave room in your plans for the bigger jobs.
How do I check if a chimney contractor is licensed to work in Tallahassee?
Ask whether they hold a certified or a registered license, because Florida's licensing department says a certified license covers work anywhere in the state while a registered one covers only places where the holder has a certificate of competency. That one question tells you whether their license reaches Tallahassee. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm glad to answer it when I come out.
Should I repair my chimney before having a new liner put in?
Yes, the masonry should come first. One liner maker's instructions say cracked, loose or missing bricks and mortar should be repaired before a liner goes in, and that all tar-glazed creosote, the hard, shiny buildup from years of fires, has to be removed beforehand as well.
What is the best way to compare chimney repair quotes?
Ask each contractor to name which part of the chimney failed and how they'll fix it, because chimney prices depend on what broke and quotes only line up when they're fixing the same thing. On an older chimney, also ask which mortar they plan to use, for the reason I gave above.
Masonry work that often goes with chimney repair
If the mortar on your house walls looks as tired as the chimney's, tuckpointing renews those joints so the whole house sheds water the same way.
Cracked, crumbling or loose bricks lower on the chimney or elsewhere on the house can be cut out and replaced with brick that matches what's already there.
Tell us what your chimney is doing
Call (850) 391-6065 any day of the week or send the form with the signs you've noticed and your roof's age, and I'll come out knowing where to look first.