Don't Waterproof Your Chimney in Victoria, BC!!!

Find out why you shouldn't apply a sealer to your brick or stone chimney in Victoria, BC with Island Chimney Solutions

Time and time again, we receive inquiries from homeowners wondering if we can apply sealers to their brick or stone chimneys. And time and time again, we respond with the same tried and true information.

The following blog post explains why you should never apply a sealer or anything that purports to weatherproof a masonry structure, based on our accumulated knowledge and expertise as chimney repair specialists in Victoria.

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The Do's and Don'ts When It Comes To The Maintenance Of Your Chimney

Masonry units such as bricks and stones, as well as the mortar that binds them, need to be able to "breathe". What do we mean by "breathe"? Well, masonry structures and the mortar itself thrive when they are able to both absorb and expel moisture: breathing and exhaling. But how does it breathe?

Any masonry company worth its salt will utilize some form of lime within their mortar mixture. Lime introduces elasticity into the mortar as it binds with sand and cement. Elasticity is important when dealing with our coastal climate here in Victoria, especially during the freeze and thaw cycles. It's also important that the lime within the mortar has access to moisture throughout the seasons while the masonry structure expands and contracts. Why is that important? Because as masonry units and mortar expand and contract during seasonal changes, they can, and likely will, separate from one another, causing cracks and fissures within the mortar. If there is lime within the mortar, the lime will self-heal, so to speak, and recombine the mortar with the masonry units as long as moisture is re-introduced.

Sealers which claim to "weatherproof" a masonry structure, such as a brick chimney, may help to wick away moisture from the chimney but they are essentially sealing its fate at the same time. Sealers are plasticized, which means that the chimney is now coated in a plastic residue that will imped the chimney and its mortar from breathing. Sealants also have a very short shelf-life here in Victoria, due to our coastal environment. They will last, on average, and depending on quality, 1-3 years. That makes for an expensive and depreciating investment into the health and well being of a chimney's lifespan.

A better investment, especially once the mortar, cap, and or brick begins to fall apart, is to have the chimney repointed or rebuilt, along with its cap. With the proper mortar and techniques used, you can be assured that your chimney will have a long life ahead of itself, void of any major maintenance for decades to come. While this approach may entail more up-front costs, it will be a much cheaper solution in comparison to continuously applying a sealer. The key is to have the cap and the mortar replaced before a teardown and rebuild is necessary. To learn more about how to spot issues with your chimney, please read our post: Signs Your Chimney Needs Repairs

Hope that helps!

Island Chimney Solutions is a masonry and chimney repair company based in Victoria, BC which specializes in restoring and rebuilding chimneys. With over 60 years of combined chimney experience, we are well versed in all aspects of chimney and fireplace remediation. Visit our website today to learn more about what we do and our process: www.islandchimney.ca