Expert Services for Chimney Repair in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville isn't really known for cold weather, but when January hits and the thermometer dips down below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, it certainly is nice to shut out the chill by gathering around a roaring fire. A fireplace adds more than just function—it's also an attractive design feature that can serve as the focal point for an entire house. But fireplaces come with chimneys, which is why homes that feature them occasionally need reliable chimney repair. Knoxville, TN homes and commercial buildings alike can benefit from regular maintenance and trusted repair services.

Unlike your fireplace, which is safely sheltered inside your house, your chimney is exposed to all sorts of damaging elements outside, from harsh weather patterns to wildlife attacks. But, like most other parts of your building's exterior, your chimney's first enemy is excessive moisture. Masonry structures are built to last, but over time, water will do its dirty work and cause problems that require expert chimney repair. Knoxville, TN homeowners can rely on their local, qualified handyman from Mr. Handyman for experienced masonry work.

If you notice indications that it's time to start searching for “chimney repair near me”, there's no need to look further than your local Knoxville handyman. The team of trustworthy service professionals at Mr. Handyman of West Knoxville is ready and willing to help. Count on our team to deliver long-lasting repair solutions, beautiful craftsmanship, and excellent customer service for all jobs, big or small.

Problems You Can Solve With Mr. Handyman’s Services for Chimney Repair in Knoxville:

A chimney that has been so badly damaged it's unusable and more closely resembles a pile of rubble than anything else is beyond chimney repair. Knoxville, TN structures in that condition need a total replacement. But there are usually numerous warning signs before the situation gets that desperate, and homeowners who are familiar with the indications of trouble can call their handyman for Knoxville chimney repair before the damage gets out of control.

Here are some of the top chimney problems that Mr. Handyman can solve:

EFFLORESCENCE

Are the bricks on your chimney covered in patches of white or light-colored stains? That's called efflorescence, and it happens when moisture seeps through the porous material of the brick, bringing soluble salts along with it. When it reaches the surfaces of the brick the water evaporates, leaving the salty crystals of efflorescence behind to create the unattractive problem of efflorescence that requires the right strategy for chimney repair. Knoxville, TN handyman professionals on our team can take care of efflorescence quickly and easily by removing it with pressure washing or other cleaning methods. We'll also check the structure carefully for water ingress points that could be hastening the appearance of efflorescence and causing other moisture damage problems.

CRUMBLING MORTAR JOINTS

Here in Knoxville, chimney exteriors are typically constructed out of brick, or sometimes natural stone. Either way, the individual masonry units are held together with mortar. While bricks and stone obviously last a very long time, mortar isn't quite as long-lived—after a couple of decades, masonry joints will start showing signs of mortar damage such as cracks, and mortar replacement will be necessary for your chimney repair. Knoxville, TN professionals such as the ones at Mr. Handyman can typically remove and replace mortar without moving the actual bricks in a process called repointing or tuckpointing, so there's usually no need to take the entire structure down and rebuild it as long as the damage is limited to the mortar.

SPALLING BRICKS

If you notice chunks or crumbs of brick littering the ground around the exterior of your chimney or signs of pitting and erosion on the surface of bricks, that's a clear problem for chimney repair. Knoxville, TN homes develop this problem thanks to water incursion in masonry units, which can actually cause the surface of bricks or concrete to "peel," crumble or pop right off. This, of course, leaves the units vulnerable to even more moisture damage and sets off a chain reaction that can affect the stability of the entire structure. This type of Knoxville chimney repair will involve replacing the damaged units and blocking the source of water damage so it doesn't happen all over again in the near future.

INTERIOR WATER DAMAGE

If you've got a problem with chimney leaks, the water isn't going to help you out by staying contained in your fireplace and not causing any issues. On the contrary, it'll just keep moving downward by any means necessary, plowing through or around any obstacles in its way. That can lead to some severe moisture-related problems inside your walls, such as structural damage caused by wood rot on the timber framing of your house.

You may also see visible signs of trouble inside your living space, such as brown stains on drywall or wallpaper, loose drywall tape, popping nails, or even rotten patches on flooring material near your fireplace. While moisture damage can, of course, be caused by other issues like a damaged roof or hidden plumbing leak, if the issues are localized around your fireplace area, it's likely you need chimney repair. Knoxville, TN homeowners should take any signs of water incursion seriously and make sure it's stopped, as a leak can cause a surprising amount of damage in a very short span of time.

SHALING FLUE TILES

When you find masonry debris around the exterior of your chimney, that's typically a spalling issue. But when you find shards of chimney liner tile inside your fireplace, it's due to a problem called shoaling.

The interior of the structure is covered in chimney flue liner, which is a very important safety feature to prevent or at least reduce the possibility of chimney fires. While a single flue tile that has been cracked or damaged and is in a relatively accessible location can be replaced with chimney repair, Knoxville, TN repair professionals recommend a lining replacement for more widespread damage, as it's likely the result of a chimney fire or the material has reached the end of its serviceable lifespan.

RUST

You may not have a rustic wood stove with a fully metal chimney, but your chimney has some metal components regardless—and if you notice rust on them, that's a bad sign that definitely needs the attention of a handyman for chimney repair. Knoxville, TN gets quite a bit of rain throughout the year, and constant exposure to harsh weather can wear away protective coatings, leaving metal components such as the cap or flashing vulnerable to rust. This is a sure sign of moisture damage, so it needs to be corrected before worse damage appears.

DAMAGED CROWN OR CAP

A chimney crown is concrete that covers the top of your structure, except for the vent hole where the smoke escapes. To prevent rain, dead leaves, pine needles, and other debris from falling down the smoke vent hole, it is fitted with a chimney cover or cap that is raised and has vent slats that allow the smoke to get out but prevent anything else from getting in. If it suffers damage, is blown off the roof, or was never installed to begin with, it's really important to get a replacement or call your handyman for chimney cap repair. Knoxville, TN homeowners need to do constant battle with the scourge of excess moisture, and your chimney cap or crown is part of the ongoing war.

Why Mr. Handyman is the Top Choice for Chimney Repair in Knoxville, TN:

When you need chimney service for a masonry structure on your residential or commercial property, count on the Knoxville chimney repair professionals at Mr. Handyman of West Knoxville for prompt, efficient, friendly service. Our reliable service providers don't just work with masonry—we also have decades of combined experience with dozens of other repair, installation, and maintenance services such as door repair, gutter cleaning, tile installation, and much more. From minor repairs to major remodeling projects, we're the right team to get the job done.

Mr. Handyman of West Knoxville is a local, veteran-owned business in Knoxville. We know this area like the backs of our hands because it's our home too, and we are very proud to serve the people of our local communities with expert maintenance, repair, installation and improvement services. Our reliable handyman services are designed to make your residential or commercial property more appealing, efficient and liveable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chimney Repair in Knoxville

WHAT CAUSES THE NEED FOR CHIMNEY REPAIR?

We associate chimneys with fire for obvious reasons, so it may seem counterintuitive to discover that most Knoxville chimney repair issues are related to water. When excess moisture gets under chimney flashing and seeps behind bricks or another masonry, it causes major problems that can bring the entire structure to the ground if they are neglected for too long.

When it comes to chimney repair, in Knoxville, TN professionals often find another destructive problem that tends to cause a lot of damage is a chimney fire caused by a build-up of soot and creosote. That's why regular chimney cleaning is so important to keep the overall structure in good shape from the inside out and clear away any debris or build-up that could cause a fire.

HOW OFTEN DO I NEED CHIMNEY MAINTENANCE?

Proper chimney maintenance is very important to ensure the safe operation of your fireplace without putting your family or property at risk. However, it can be difficult to say how often it needs to be done because there's such a wide variation in how often fireplaces are used from household to household. But, even if you only get a fire roaring a few times per year during the winter, it's important to have a chimney inspection done in the fall to ensure it is clean and in good working order after three seasons of going unused. If you see some of the indications we've listed above, call your local Knoxville handyman for an expert chimney repair service.

IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE A CHIMNEY CAP?

Sometimes people assume a chimney cap is more of a decorative feature than a practical one, and they don't worry too much if their structure doesn't have one. However, it's far from decorative and plays a very important role in protecting your home for two key reasons:

1. It prevents pine needles, dead leaves, dirt, trash and other debris from getting inside your chimney and clogging it up, which can easily lead to a chimney fire or fill your house with smoke when you try to get a fire going in your fireplace. It also prevents rodent pests such as rats and squirrels from accessing your home.
2. It also prevents embers and sparks from exiting the top of your chimney and landing on the roof, where they can melt holes in your shingles or even ignite and start a roof fire, leaving you in serious need of roof repair services in Knoxville, TN.

If you don't have a chimney cap in place, or it has suffered damage, it's time to call our team for chimney repair. Knoxville, TN homeowners can rest easy once it's in place, knowing their home is better protected from a host of serious problems or disaster scenarios.

Time for Chimney Repair? Knoxville, TN Can Rely On Mr. Handyman

Whether you are living in Knoxville, TN, or part of the surrounding area such as Hardin Valley, Oak Ridge, or Karns, you can trust the professional staff at Mr. Handyman of West Knoxville for experienced Tennessee chimney care and other types of dependable handyman service.

If a homeowner notice signs their property needs chimney repair, Knoxville, TN professionals on our team are ready and willing to get it taken care of. Give us a call to chat with our friendly customer service staff and find out more about what we can do for your residential or commercial property, or to book a service appointment for a time that works for you.