When I look up through my fireplace, I can see a thin strip of daylight along one side. Is that supposed to be there?
Answer
No. In our experience, that’s usually a sign that part of the chimney has opened up from deteriorated mortar or damaged brick. We generally recommend repairing it before water starts entering the chimney because the damage almost always gets worse over time. Depending on the cause, the repair may involve replacing mortar, rebuilding a section of the chimney, or replacing deteriorated brick. We’ve repaired many chimneys where a small opening eventually turned into a much larger repair because it was left alone. Water is usually what turns a manageable repair into an expensive one.
