Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County
Chimney repair in Ypsilanti
A lot of Ypsilanti chimneys have been patched more than once over a hundred-plus years, and the repair often starts with undoing an old patch before the real fix can go on.
What a century does to a chimney
The Ypsilanti Historic District is one of the largest in Michigan. The original part runs roughly from Hamilton Street east to Grove and from Forest Avenue down to Buffalo. Inside it are Greek Revival and brick Italianate houses from the 1840s and 1850s, Queen Annes from the 1890s, and plenty of plainer houses from the early 1900s. Their chimneys have been through more freeze-and-thaw cycles than anything else on the house.
The damage on an old Ypsilanti chimney usually starts at the top. The crown cracks, water gets into the brick below it, and the mortar between the top courses washes out. Then someone patches it. The chimney in the photo had tar spread over the crown and the top of the brick, which traps water instead of shedding it. The brick faces under the tar have flaked off, and broken pieces are lying on the roof.
What the work costs
These are where most Ypsilanti repairs start. The written quote has your number.
- Tuckpointing: $595 to $4,995, depending on how much of the chimney needs new mortar.
- Replacing 1 to 15 damaged bricks: $850 plus $75 a brick.
- Crown repair from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch, or a crown rebuild from $1,500 plus $1 per square inch.
- Flashing repair or replacement: $595 to $3,495.
On a tall two-story house where a ladder isn't safe, a lift or scaffolding adds $1,249. We tell you up front if yours needs one.
Soft mortar, old brick
Brick from the 1800s is softer than modern brick. When it's repointed with hard modern mortar, the mortar can outlast the brick, and the brick faces crack instead. On an old house, we use a mortar suited to the brick and match the color of the joints that are already there. When bricks have to be replaced, we look for brick close to the original in size and color. Our guide to white stains and crumbling chimney brick explains how water damages brick.
How it works
We look at the whole chimney first, and the spot you noticed. You get photos, an explanation of what a smaller repair would and wouldn't fix, and the price in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you'd like us to look before you decide anything, a chimney inspection is $49.
Questions
Someone put tar over our chimney crown years ago. Is that a problem?
Usually, yes. Tar seals water in as well as out. Moisture that gets under it can't dry, so the brick below freezes, flakes and crumbles, which is what the photo on this page shows. The fix is to take the tar off, repair or rebuild the crown in mortar or concrete, and replace the brick that's too far gone. We show you what's under the tar before we quote.
Our house is in the historic district. Can you still repair the chimney?
Yes. We check with the city before we quote work that shows from outside, so you know what approval or permit the job needs, and any permit cost goes on the written quote. We match brick and mortar to what's on the house, which is what you'd want on an old chimney anyway.
Chimney repair near Ypsilanti
Chimney repair in Ypsilanti
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.