Leaning Chimneys
What Does a Leaning Chimney Tell You About Your Home Foundation?
Your chimney is likely the heaviest portion of your home. So, when a house is built on expansive or unstable soil, often the first part of the foundation to settle is the footing under the chimney. As a chimney settles, it begins to lean away from the house. The gap between the chimney and the house is usually greater at the top and becomes more narrow at the bottom.
When a chimney settles, it not only detracts from the value of your home, it also presents a serious safety hazard. The weight of a chimney can cause quick deterioration, and the problem usually becomes worse.
If you notice your chimney leaning or falling away from your house, Drive Rite installers offer a free foundation repair estimate.
Chimney Repair Methods - What You Should Know
Think Before You Rebuild
If you hire a contractor to estimate chimney repairs, it's likely you will receive an estimate to rebuild the chimney. This can be very expensive and the repairs can take a long time and can be quite invasive.
Alternatively, steel piers (as installed by Drive Rite installers), are minimally invasive as compared to a complete rebuild. It's almost always less expensive to install steel piers than to rebuild a chimney. While it varies depending on your structure, usually chimney repairs with steel piers take a day or so.
Steel Straps Cables and Other Quick Fixes
It's simply not a good idea to use steel straps, cables, or any other mechanism in an attempt to hold a leaning chimney in place. While experienced contractors may utilize such methods temporarily to ensure saftey while repairing a chimney, these should not be used to substitute for stabilizing the chimney.
If you need chimney repair due to a cracked, falling, or leaning chimney, please contact us.
