Chimney repair for Greer's masonry core and suburban prefab homes — crown rebuild, mortar tuckpointing, chase cover replacement, and gas insert liner assessment. Written scope before work begins.
Understanding which zone a Greer home falls into narrows the likely repair scope before the assessment visit begins.
Tuckpointing addresses the mortar joints on the chimney's exterior face — it stops water from entering through the joint and saturating brick from behind. Crown replacement addresses the mortar cap at the very top of the chimney stack — it stops water from entering around the flue opening from above. Both can coexist on the same chimney, and both are assessed during the inspection. The distinction matters because tuckpointing on a chimney with a failed crown does not stop the primary water entry path. Crown repair is completed first; tuckpointing follows to seal the exterior face.
These six repair categories cover both the masonry core and the prefab suburban stock in Greer.
Cracked or eroded crowns repaired with compatible mortar on masonry chimneys. Full rebuild where the original crown is beyond patching — new crown built with correct slope, drip edge, and refractory-grade mortar.
Deteriorated exterior chimney mortar raked to 3/4 inch depth and packed with mortar matched to original brick hardness. Prevents water entry through eroded joints on masonry core-area homes.
Rusted galvanized cover removed and replaced with stainless steel or aluminum. Chase interior assessed for framing moisture damage where cover failure went undetected for multiple seasons.
Structurally cracked refractory panels replaced as a set for the fireplace model. Surface hairline cracks assessed individually — not all cracking requires immediate replacement.
Where a gas insert was connected to an oversized original flue without a correctly sized stainless liner, liner installation reduces flue cross-section to match appliance output and eliminates condensate damage to tile mortar joints.
Failed base and counter-flashing repaired or replaced. On masonry chimneys, counter-flashing is set into cut reglets rather than surface-mounted with caulk — providing a mechanical seal rather than relying on sealant alone.