05/28/2026
🔨 Chimney Rebuild 🧱
We recently completed a full chimney rebuild on a previously painted brick chimney, along with new shingles, flashing, and a code-required cricket.
🧱 Why we don’t recommend painting brick chimneys
This project is a perfect example of what can happen when brick is sealed with paint. While it may look good short-term, paint traps moisture inside the masonry. Over time this leads to:
* 🧊 Freeze–thaw damage in colder months
* 🧱 Spalling and surface breakdown of the brick
* 💧 Moisture retention and hidden deterioration within the chimney structure
* ⚠️ Accelerated mortar joint failure
Brick is designed to breathe. Once it’s sealed, that natural moisture movement is blocked, and the chimney starts breaking down from the inside out.
🏗️ What we did on this project
* Full chimney teardown and rebuild
* Removal of deteriorated painted brick
* Installation of new step flashing and counter flashing tied into the roof system
* New shingles installed around chimney tie-in areas
* Added a code-required chimney cricket to properly divert water around the uphill side of the chimney
🧭 Why the cricket matters
A chimney cricket (or saddle) is required by code on larger chimneys to prevent water from pooling behind the structure. Without it, that area becomes a common leak point and can cause long-term roof and decking damage.
⸻
This system is now properly flashed, properly drained, and built to last—addressing both structural integrity and water management the right way
