![\"Chimney](\"http:\/\/www.amybergquist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/chimney1.jpg\" "\\"Chimney")
![\"Chimney](\"http:\/\/www.amybergquist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/Chimney2.JPG\" "\\"Chimney")
<\/p>\nHome inspectors almost always find something wrong with chimneys. They’re just not a part of the home that owners think about on a regular basis, so routine maintenance is often ignored. Sometimes they simply need to be cleaned, other times the outside needs repointing, and on occasion there are major structural issues. So when representing buyers, we’ll always sneak a quick peek at the outside of the chimney to see if it might lead to trouble. Here’s a quick quiz … which chimney has been recently been rebuilt?<\/p>\n
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Answer: The chimney on the left was recently rebuilt. All of the bricks are the same color, as is the mortar between the courses. There is no mortar missing, and the courses are lined up very neatly. The chimney on the right has a lot of things going on, starting with the plant life.<\/p>\n
Beyond the visible portion, there are other ways that chimneys can need attention. Interior bricks experience the same decay as those outside the house, though less so since they are not exposed to the elements. There can also be problems with the flue, like cracked tiles, objects falling into the flue, or build-ups of soot and creosote.<\/p>\n
Our three most recent deals all had issues with the chimney, and in each case the buyer asked the seller to address the problems. The cost of fixing chimneys can vary widely depending on what needs to be done and the location of the problem area. The work is labor intensive and may require building scaffolding or mechanical lifts if it is on the upper portion of the home. Fortunately, there are no moving parts to a chimney, so once it is properly repaired it should remain in good shape for years to come.<\/p>\n
You may not have paid much attention to chimneys in the past, but I bet now you’ll take a quick look every now and then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Home inspectors almost always find something wrong with chimneys. They’re just not a part of the home that owners think about on a regular basis, so routine maintenance is often ignored. Sometimes they simply need to be cleaned, other times the outside needs repointing, and on occasion there are major structural issues. So when representing buyers, we’ll always sneak a quick peek at the outside of the chimney to see if it might lead to<\/p>\n