Tuckpointing
We grind out crumbling mortar joints and pack in new mortar matched to the old. We tuckpoint brick, block and stone walls, chimneys, foundations and steps around Racine.
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M.O.E Masonry does chimney repair on brick chimneys around Racine. Is mortar falling out of the joints, or is the chimney crumbling above the roof? We tuckpoint open joints and replace spalled brick, the brick whose face is flaking off. When the brick above the roof is too far gone, we rebuild it.
We are based in Mount Pleasant on the south side of Racine. We also lay and repair brick, block and stone as a masonry contractor in Racine. On a chimney, our work is the masonry: the brick, the mortar joints, the crown and the firebox. Chimney sweeping and flue inspections are a certified chimney sweep's work, and flashing at the roof is a roofer's.
Tell us about the wall, chimney, foundation or steps and where the job is. We look at it and put the quote in writing.
Brick and mortar soak up rain and melting snow. When that water freezes, it expands inside the brick and the joints. A Brick Industry Association technical note ties spalling and cracking to repeated freeze-thaw cycles in wet brick.
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for Racine show about 119 days a year that drop to 32 degrees or colder. On about 68 of those days, the high climbs back above freezing. Above the roofline, a chimney takes that weather on all four sides and the top. The Brick Industry Association also notes that chimneys, with their harsher exposure, may need repairs sooner than walls.
From the ground, look for open joints near the top and brick faces flaking off. Brick chips on the roof or in the gutter are another sign. A water stain on a ceiling beside the chimney means water is getting in somewhere.
If the brick is sound and only the joints are open, tuckpointing is the fix. We grind out the old mortar and pack in new mortar matched to it. Where a few bricks have spalled, we cut them out and set new brick in their place.
The crown is the concrete top of the chimney, and a cracked crown lets water into the brick. Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code calls it a chimney cap, and SPS 321.30 asks for 2 inches of concrete or more. The code also wants it sloped away from the flue, with a one-inch overhang and drip edge all around. We recast crowns to that shape, with a slip joint where the flue passes through.
When the top courses are loose or badly spalled, we take the chimney down to sound brick and rebuild it. Section SPS 323.11 of the state dwelling code sets the height for a masonry chimney. It must stand at least 3 feet above the highest point where it passes through the roof. It must also stand 2 feet higher than any ridge, peak, wall or roof within 10 feet horizontally.
A certified chimney sweep cleans the flue and inspects the chimney. The Chimney Safety Institute of America certifies sweeps and follows NFPA 211, the national safety standard for chimneys. That standard calls for chimneys to be inspected at least once a year.
NFPA 211 sets three levels of inspection. A Level 1 covers the easy-to-reach parts and goes with routine cleaning. A Level 2 adds a video scan of the flue and is called for when a house is sold. A Level 3 opens hidden parts of the chimney when damage is suspected there.
A sweep's report may note cracked firebrick, loose hearth brick, open joints or a cracked crown. Those are masonry repairs, and that part is ours. Send us the report or a few photos, and we put the quote in writing.
Call or text for a written quote anywhere across Racine County, Kenosha County and the south side of Milwaukee County.
(262) 744-4688From the first call or text to the finished work, here is how it goes.
Call or text (262) 744-4688 and tell us about the job. Photos help, so send a few if you can.
We come out and look at the masonry and the mortar joints. Good photos can stand in for that first look.
You get the quote in writing, with the work spelled out. Once you say yes, we set a start date.
The brick, block or stone is delivered to the site, and scaffolding goes up where the height calls for it. Then we lay the new masonry or make the repair.
We take a final look at the work with you. The site is cleaned up before we leave.
Common questions about chimney repair across Racine County, Kenosha County and the south side of Milwaukee County. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
We grind out crumbling mortar joints and pack in new mortar matched to the old. We tuckpoint brick, block and stone walls, chimneys, foundations and steps around Racine.
Learn More
Spalled brick, rusted lintels, loose steps and failed wall sections repaired and matched to the wall. Historic brick buildings and churches restored with matching brick and mortar.
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We lay natural stone and manufactured stone veneer on houses, chimneys, columns and fireplace faces. We also build stone steps and garden walls and repoint old stone.
Learn MoreWe lay all three, for new work and for repairs. You deal with one masonry company, whatever the wall is made of.
A repair should look like part of the wall. We match the mortar to the old joints and pick brick to match the wall around it.
We look at the job before we price it, in person or through your photos. The quote comes to you in writing before any work starts.
Mount Pleasant sits on the south side of Racine, in Racine County. From there, we work in Racine, Kenosha and the south side of Milwaukee County.
Chimney repair costs in Wisconsin from national cost guides: crown repair, tuckpointing, partial and full rebuilds, rain caps and what moves the price.
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National cost guides put tuckpointing at $5 to $25 per square foot. See the ranges for walls, chimneys, foundations and steps, and what drives the price.
Read more →Tell us about the job and where it is, and send photos if you have them. Call or text (262) 744-4688, or use the form, and we will get back to you.
Tell us about the wall, chimney, foundation or steps and where the job is. We look at it and put the quote in writing.