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Building a retaining wall is a tedious job. You can get away with heavy rocks and stones stacked or you may prefer a more elegant brick/stone and mortar finish. If this is the case, build it right the first time to save yourself from having to rebuild the whole wall again, losing a lot of … Read more

Rusted lintel replacement is so important. The earlier this fix is pursued, the less chance of masonry damage and any potential water intrusion issues in the building. How can you tell if your lintel is rusting and get ahead of the curve? Rusting lintels will create cracking at masonry corners, begin to flake, and potentially … Read more

Issue and questions about a green chimney stain? First off, if your chimney is green, there is most likely a host of issues with your chimney to begin with. These issues allow water to run freely on the affected area, therefore causing the issue of mold or algae.   Green Chimney Stain   How to … Read more

Year one: You have purchased your brand new dream house and on your first family winter you keep your wood burning fireplace at work! Year ten: Your tenth winter in the house, seemingly no issues with the fireplace, but as you step outside, look up, you notice black chimney stains near the top. Cosmetic issue? … Read more

When looking at your chimney liner options, there are three main routes to go.  Clay flue stacks and stainless steel liners are the two most popular options. The clay options is often done by home builders as it is a cost effective route to go. The stainless steel options are usually done in place of … Read more

Water is leaking into your house, a smokey smell lingers after every fire, cold air drafts into your house… All these can be either caused by or effects of an inner damaged chimney. Like an accountant trying to fix an engine or a doctor trying to patch his roof, you look up your chimney and … Read more

Some houses are built and dressed in siding panels or other decorative finishes, asides from the classic brick or stone look. Most houses are built with chimneys. There comes an aging and unpleasant look to siding panels overtime and you may be intrigued to adding a masonry finish to the house. One common starting place … Read more

Water or moisture is the silent killer of masonry chimneys. A properly built chimney combats water perfectly and an aspect that is often overlooked is the chimney shoulder flashing. The shoulder although pitched still absorbs water and the water can run through the shoulder and into the chimney, slowly cracking up bricks with freeze and … Read more

The brand new ‘iPhone 100x Lite’ is released and after an eager 12 hours of waiting outside the fruit store, the phone is cradled in your hands like a newborn child. Like a newborn child is clothed, your brand new iPhone is dressed with a new case sporting your favorite shade of blue. Why did … Read more

Caulking, the American way to fix everything! All jokes aside, if done in a clean and proper way, chimney caulking specific parts can play a vital role in extending the life of your chimney. There are a few places that chimney caulking is effective and appropriate. The most vital place is the chimney counter flashing … Read more