How To Repair a Leaning Chimney
A leaning chimney is a serious problem that often indicates structural instability in your home, so you’ll want to address this issue sooner rather than later. The good news is that a foundation repair specialist can usually restore this structure, resulting in a safer living environment for your family.
Below, learn what causes a leaning chimney, why you need chimney repair, and how Groundworks can help.
Causes of Leaning Chimneys
The most common cause of a leaning chimney is the foundation underneath it. Most chimneys have a foundation that’s separate from the one beneath a home. When this foundation starts to settle or shift, the chimney might lean. Usually, only a professional can fix this problem.
A leaning chimney may also happen when:
- The foundation under the chimney is too shallow and has been damaged by frost heave, which often happens during Toronto’s cold winters. Frost heave occurs when water freezes in soil, causing it to move upward.
- Expansive clay soil, which is soil with a lot of clay in it, causes movement in the ground under the foundation.
- Soil hasn’t been properly compacted during construction, leading to foundation settlement.
- The concrete used to build a chimney foundation is of inferior quality or doesn’t contain rebar.
- The chimney was built with poor-quality bricks and mortar.
- The chimney is old, and its building materials have deteriorated.
- Poor drainage under the chimney’s foundation has caused hydrostatic pressure.
Why Is a Leaning Chimney Bad?
Your chimney is one of the most critical components of your home. When it starts to lean, it can cause the following issues:
- Structural damage: A leaning chimney puts a huge amount of stress on your home’s framework. In the worst-case scenario, your home can collapse from all this pressure.
- Water intrusion: As a chimney leans, it may pull away from the rest of your home and cause gaps that allow water to enter your property. This can result in mold, pests, and other problems that threaten your family’s health.
- Falling bricks: Leaning chimneys may no longer be able to support their own weight, leading to bricks loosening and falling to the ground below. This is a serious safety hazard.
- Fire dangers: When a leaning chimney separates from your home, cracks allow heat and smoke to escape to other areas of the property, potentially resulting in a fire.
A leaning chimney can also make your home harder to sell or even decrease its worth. That’s why you should consider chimney repair as soon as you notice an issue. Groundworks offers free inspections so you can find out what the root cause of the problem is.
How Foundation Repair Can Fix a Leaning Chimney
If your chimney leans because of a problem with its foundation, underpinning might be the answer. This process usually involves stabilizing the foundation with either helical or push piers.
Helical piers
Helical piers or screw piles are a common chimney repair solution. They consist of a steel rod with helices or plates that screw deep into the ground, reinforcing your chimney foundation.
Push piers
Push piers are driven into deep, load-bearing soil to stabilize your chimney foundation and potentially move it back to its original position.
Underpinning solves most leaning chimney concerns. However, you might need an experienced mason to rebuild your chimney if its foundation isn’t the issue. For example, piers won’t work if there’s a lot of damage to the chimney’s bricks and mortar.
Whatever the cause of the problem, we don’t recommend fixing your leaning chimney yourself. Trying to fill the space between your home and chimney is unlikely to do anything and could even lead to further damage.
How Groundworks Can Help
Groundworks specializes in chimney foundation repair and can use helical or push piers to restore this part of your home. Our repairs are minimally invasive and don’t require a lot of excavation, providing you with peace of mind. Contact us to learn more about chimney repair in Mississauga, Oakville, Toronto, and other areas in Southern Ontario.
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