Before & After: Real Repair Results

The problem: Freeze-thaw cycles had spalled the brick faces, opened the mortar joints and cracked the crown — water was getting in with every rain.

What we did: Removed the damaged brick, repointed with mortar matched to the original, rebuilt the top courses and poured a new crown with a proper drip edge.

The problem: The original galvanized chase cover had rusted through and warped, sending rust-stained water down the siding and into the chase.

What we did: Replaced it with a custom stainless steel chase cover with cross-breaks and a new cap — no more rust, no more leaks.

The problem: The crown had cracked apart and grown moss in the gaps, letting water soak straight into the flue and brickwork below.

What we did: Removed the failed crown, formed and poured a new reinforced concrete crown with an overhanging drip edge to shed water away from the brick.

The problem: Decades of soot, cracked firebrick and a stained surround made this fireplace unsafe to use and hard to look at.

What we did: Replaced the cracked firebrick, repointed the firebox with refractory mortar and restored the surround — ready for fires again.