What does it mean when bricks are falling off my chimney into the yard?
It means the masonry at the top of the chimney is breaking down and no longer holding together. Mortar has weakened, usually from water getting in over time, and bricks are coming loose. Stop using the fireplace or stove until a chimney technician has looked at it, because a stack that is shedding brick should not be in service.
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How serious it is depends on how far the damage goes. Often it is confined to the section above the roofline, and rebuilding that section is the usual answer. If the stack is leaning or the damage runs lower, more of it may need to come down and be rebuilt.
Why bricks fall off a chimney
A chimney stack is the most exposed part of a house. It stands in the weather on every side, and the mortar between the bricks is softer than the bricks themselves. Slowly the mortar erodes, crumbles or washes out of the joints, and the bricks lose their grip on each other.
Water is usually the cause. A cracked or missing crown lets rain soak straight into the top of the stack. Failed flashing at the roofline lets water run in lower down. Once the masonry stays wet, it deteriorates faster, and the top courses of brick are the first to loosen and drop.
Falling brick is also a sign that the liner and the structure underneath may not be sound either. That is why the answer is an inspection, not a patch on the one spot where you saw something fall.
What you can check yourself
Keep the fall zone clear
Keep people, pets and parked cars away from the area under the chimney. Bricks can drop without warning.
Look at the stack from the yard
Stand well back and look for a lean, gaps in the mortar lines, missing bricks, or a cracked cap on top. Binoculars help. Stay on the ground.
Collect what has fallen
Note whether the pieces are whole bricks, broken chunks or sandy mortar. Take a photo of them and of where they landed. It helps the technician.
Check inside for water or smell
Look at the ceiling and walls around the chimney for stains or peeling paint, and notice any damp or smoky smell in the fireplace.
Test your alarms
Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working. If anyone has a headache or dizziness, get outside and call 911.
When to call a technician
Call as soon as you see brick coming down. It is already past the point of looking and waiting, and a leaning stack, a visible gap at the top or repeated falls all point to a rebuild rather than a small repair. Until it has been inspected, do not light the fireplace or stove.
One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. One call to (866) 576-7943 arranges an independent mason or sweep to inspect the chimney. The estimate is free, the technician gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first. Rebuild work can need a permit in some places, so check with your local building department.
What the technician will do
- Inspect and photographThe technician looks at what is failing and photographs it, so you can see the damage for yourself before agreeing to anything.
- Rebuild above the rooflineThis is the usual answer. The loose, damaged masonry is taken down and rebuilt on the sound part of the stack.
- Full rebuild if the structure has goneWhere the damage runs deeper, the chimney is rebuilt with a proper footing and flashing.
- Crown cap and linerA new crown cap and liner are part of the work, so water stops getting in and the flue is protected.
- Match the brick and mortarNew brick and mortar are matched as closely as the house allows.
Related questions
- Can I use my fireplace if only a few bricks have fallen?
- No. A stack that is shedding brick should not be in use, because you cannot tell from inside how much of it is loose. Wait for a technician to inspect it.
- Can loose bricks just be put back?
- Sometimes a small repair is enough, but bricks usually fall because the mortar around them has failed. If you only reset the bricks that dropped, the neighbouring ones are likely to follow. The technician will tell you how far the damage goes.
- What decides how much a chimney rebuild costs?
- The main factors are how high and how hard to reach the chimney is, how much of it has failed, and what the camera and inspection find. Whether the crown, liner or flashing need work as well also makes a difference. The free estimate gives you the actual figure before anything starts.
- Do I need a permit to rebuild my chimney?
- It depends on where you live. Rules vary by state, city and county, so ask your local building department before work begins. The technician can usually tell you what they have needed locally.
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