A traditional fireplace is both elegant and sophisticated to have in your home, but upkeeping the structure is a different story. While brick can last a long time, it needs to be well taken care of if you want to avoid water damage and other issues. Start maintaining your fireplace brick better by learning how to prevent deterioration.
Regularly Clear Your Gutters
Your gutters play a role in how well you can maintain the exterior brick of your chimney. If you do not clear the debris from your gutters regularly, the build-up can cause excess water to stream down your brick, speeding up the deteriorating process. Remove the debris from the gutters to give the water a clear path to exit through the spout instead of spilling over on the brick.
Routinely Clean Interior Brick
The outside of your chimney is not the only place brick can deteriorate—it can happen inside your fireplace too. You must routinely clean your fireplace brick to avoid this issue. You can clean to remove any byproducts from your fires that could potentially damage or harm the brick.
Apply Sealant to the Bricks
There may be areas of your chimney and fireplace that are more susceptible to water damage than other areas. In this case, you can apply a sealant to help keep moisture and water out of the porous masonry and prevent your fireplace brick from deteriorating. Do not try to save money by choosing a low-quality sealant because the product could trap water instead of keeping it out of the brick.
Replace Crumbling Mortar
The mortar between your bricks is more likely to crumble first, so pay attention to this throughout the year. If you notice the mortar crumbling, replace this as quickly as possible to enhance the integrity of your brick. Make this repair as soon as you can to help thwart excess water damage that can occur due to openings in the masonry.
Fix Foundation Issues Immediately
When the foundation of your home shifts over time, so does the brickwork on your chimney. This change can cause severe damage to your masonry if you do not address foundation issues immediately. Do not leave these issues to accumulate more damage if you want to avoid a costly repair; fix the foundation first, then address your brick-and-mortar.
It’s crucial to maintain your fireplace and chimney brick because deterioration can cause severe damage that could affect your home too. If you notice anything wrong with your brick-and-mortar, address these issues immediately to prevent further damage. Follow our tips above to avoid a costly repair.
