# Brick chimney problem



## IWantPavers (Aug 15, 2012)

It looks like this chimney was not built with the house. The bricks do not tie into the house and it has not separated from the house about an inch. I attached some pics. My worry is the brick over the window. Should I point up and be done with it or do you think the chimney is causing the break. Any thoughts...


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## IWantPavers (Aug 15, 2012)

Another pic


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## MAULEMALL (May 16, 2010)

IWantPavers said:


> It looks like this chimney was not built with the house. The bricks do not tie into the house and it has not separated from the house about an inch. I attached some pics. My worry is the brick over the window. Should I point up and be done with it or do you think the chimney is causing the break. Any thoughts...


looks like the lintel is causeing some seperation and cracked a brick..


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

Agreed. 

A properly built chimney should not be attached to a house. A fireplace and chimney should be completely separate from the house because of the extreme mass/density of the combined unit compared to the rest of the house. The chimney should be able to sink at a different rate than the rest of the house, exactly what is happening.

Because the fireplace/chimney isn't attached to the house it won't cause cracking brick anywhere, especially at a window 8 or 10' away. What you have there looks to me like rust jacking, when steel turns to rust it's size expands and cannot be stopped (like water expanding when it freezes) This makes masonry crack, I've seen it dozens of times


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## IWantPavers (Aug 15, 2012)

So what are your thoughts on repair. Should I be worried about the chimney and how should I fix the brick.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

I wouldn't worry about the chimney at all unless it looks seriously out of plumb. You can repoint that joint between it and the wall just to keep water out.

As for the window, you'll have to look for yourself as to whether it actually is rust jacking. If it is the only solution is to dismantle the brick and replace the lintel. Make sure it's well primed


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

The joint between the chimney and the house is a soft joint. If you repoint it, it will just crack again. All the crap that has been applied to it need to be removed, and a proper soft joint installed: Backer rod and a good sealant like NP1, with the depth 1/2 the width.

The window issue is separate and different and looks like rust expansion. Repair will depend upon their budget, but the proper repair is removal and replacement of the angle.


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## IWantPavers (Aug 15, 2012)

Well the house is mine. Thank you for the advise. So use a good caulking along the chimney and put new angle iron in the window. Now would rust make a crack for 6'?


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

absolutely. You can't stop rust from expanding. Modern masonry has little to no give so you get cracking

Personally I wouldn't use caulking since I don't find it aesthetically as appealing and it will most likely take decades for the mortar joint to crack again in which time the caulking will have dried out and need replacing as well. Caulking will work just as well though


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

IWantPavers said:


> Now would rust make a crack for 6'?


Take a window opening like that and jack the brick up 1/4". What do you think? :thumbsup:


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## IWantPavers (Aug 15, 2012)

Awesome. Thank you. I will get to work tomorrow.


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

dom-mas said:


> absolutely. You can't stop rust from expanding. Modern masonry has little to no give so you get cracking
> 
> Personally I wouldn't use caulking since I don't find it aesthetically as appealing and it will most likely take decades for the mortar joint to crack again in which time the caulking will have dried out and need replacing as well. Caulking will work just as well though


While I agree that the asthetics of a caulk joint are not as attractive, the joint will be more durable with the proper caulk. SP1 should give non shrinking, non cracking performance for at least 30 years. It will turn black and ugly, but not crack or release unless the chimney falls away from the house. 
The color can be maintained by washing regularly and it will prevent moisture from gaining an entrance. 
By the way is sp1 the horizontal self leveling product or verticle sag restitant flavor? I get them confused. Sonneburn has been making masonry sealants and control joint compounds for well over 40 years and some of the first stuff applied is still in excellent working condition.:thumbup:


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

NP1/NP2= non sag, SL1=self-leveling.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

IMO it looks like foundation settlement issue, if you look in the corner, the joints don't lined up... The brick has a continued crack which traveled vertically, which caused splitting the brick in half at the window corner, rather then traveling along the mortar joints due to seasonal expansion and contraction. It didn't move much, but it did caused a minor displacement.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Thats what I was thinking too. I see many in adequate footings on chimneys and they pull away from the house. Strapping may be tugging on the veneer too.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

dakzaag said:


> While I agree that the asthetics of a caulk joint are not as attractive, the joint will be more durable with the proper caulk. SP1 should give non shrinking, non cracking performance for at least 30 years.


In my opinion i think a mortar joint would last 20-30 years as well without serious cracking. I would think that the chimney and house have both done most of their settling by now. The house looks between 25-40 years old


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Anywhere on a building where you have 2 independently supported surfaces meeting is a soft joint.


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## MAULEMALL (May 16, 2010)

Northern Va had a pretty good quake a year or so ago...


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

dom-mas said:


> Agreed.
> 
> A properly built chimney should not be attached to a house. A fireplace and chimney should be completely separate from the house because of the extreme mass/density of the combined unit compared to the rest of the house. The chimney should be able to sink at a different rate than the rest of the house, exactly what is happening.
> 
> ...


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

fjn said:


> dom-mas said:
> 
> 
> > Agreed.
> ...


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## stuart45 (Oct 7, 2009)

fjn said:


> dom-mas said:
> 
> 
> > Agreed.
> ...


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