Repointing • Flaunching • Lead Flashing
Chimney Repairs Lewisham
Damp on a chimney breast, crumbling mortar or a stack that looks like it is leaning? Chimneys take weather from every direction and are one of the most common causes of a leak people assume is the roof.
Repointing, flaunching, new lead flashing and full rebuilds. Free look, clear price.
Call 020 3488 4900Weathertight stacks
The Leak That Is Usually The Chimney
A chimney stack stands proud of the roof with weather hitting it from all four sides, and it is held together by mortar that has often been up there a very long time. When that mortar goes, water gets in - and it usually shows up as damp on a bedroom wall rather than a drip through the ceiling.
The other common culprit is the lead flashing where the stack meets the roof. Where someone has replaced proper lead with a cement fillet or a smear of mastic, it cracks within a season or two and lets water straight in.
We repoint, renew the flaunching around the pots, dress new lead properly, and rebuild stacks that are past saving. And we will tell you which of those you actually need.
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Why choose us
Chimney Work Done Properly
Lead, not mastic
A cement fillet or a bead of sealant at the stack is a repair that fails. We dress proper sheet lead, which is what keeps water out for decades.
Matched mortar and brick
Repointing with the wrong mix does more harm than good on old brickwork. We match what is there so the repair sits right and lasts.
We will say if it can be saved
Not every stack needs rebuilding. If repointing and new flaunching will do the job, that is what we will quote for.
Chimney Work We Carry Out
We repair and rebuild chimney stacks on homes right across Lewisham, including:
- Repointing - raking out perished mortar and repointing in a mix matched to the existing brickwork.
- Flaunching - renewing the mortar bed that holds the pots and sheds water off the top of the stack.
- Lead flashing and soakers - new sheet lead where the stack meets the roof, replacing cracked cement fillets.
- Partial and full rebuilds - taking a stack down to sound brickwork and rebuilding it where the damage has gone too far.
- Chimney removal and making good - taking a redundant stack down and closing the roof up neatly.
- Pots, cowls and caps - replacing broken pots and capping off unused flues while keeping them ventilated.
Damp on a chimney breast is worth looking at sooner rather than later - it soaks into plaster and the repair bill grows quietly. Give us a ring and we will come and check it.
Frequently asked questions
Chimney Repair Questions, Answered
Damp on the chimney breast, staining on an upstairs wall, or a leak that gets worse in driving rain from one particular direction are all classic signs. We can confirm it quickly by looking at the stack and the flashing.
It is the sloped mortar bed on top of the stack holding the pots in place. Its job is to shed water off the top. When it cracks, water runs straight down inside the brickwork.
Small jobs sometimes, but most stack work needs safe access. Where scaffolding is required we arrange it and include it in the quote, licence and all.
Not necessarily. An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated, and capping it properly is usually cheaper than removal. We will lay out both options.
Depends how far the mortar has gone. If the bricks themselves are still sound, repointing and new flaunching will usually do it. If the brickwork is spalling or the stack has moved, it needs rebuilding.
Repointing and flaunching is usually a day or two. A rebuild takes longer, and it depends on the weather since new mortar needs a dry spell to cure.
Where we work
Chimney Repairs Across Lewisham
As roofers in Lewisham we work on chimney stacks throughout Lewisham, from Victorian terraces to interwar semis. Call us and we will come and look before anything is committed to.
Call 020 3488 4900