Scaffolding isn’t just used for major construction projects; many chimney repairs require scaffolding too. However, only a few chimney companies are certified to set up scaffolding. This means that scaffolding set up is an added expense and a time delay to your chimney repair. At Jack Pixley Sweeps, our team is trained and certified to set up scaffolding. This will help you to save thousands of dollars while also saving you lots of time to keep your chimney repair project right on schedule.
Why being scaffolding set up certified matters
While scaffolding may look simple, setting it up is very complex. It can affect the safety of the chimney technicians and the stability of the repairs as well. Because of this, it is extremely important that the crew sets up the scaffolding is trained and certified.
At Jack Pixley Sweeps, our crews are trained in the proper setup of both ground and roof scaffolding. All of our repair technicians have been through Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training. Our scaffolding always meets safety standards. This ensures the safety of the crew, the safety of your family during the chimney repair process, and the structural stability of your chimney as well.
The scaffolding set up process
Setting up scaffolding is unique to every house. It depends on the location and height of the chimney, the repairs required, the pitch of the roof, and more. This can all influence how your scaffolding is constructed. Because scaffolding is customized for each home and job, setting up can take between two and four hours.
When scaffolding is set up, it is required to be “tied off” or anchored to the home, every 20 feet. Oftentimes, scaffolding can be tied off onto the chimney. However, some cases it may needs to be anchored to the home itself using anchor bolts. Likewise, roof scaffolding is also required to be anchored to the roof using anchor bolts. Once properly anchored, then height can be added to the scaffolding structure.
Trust Jack Pixley Sweeps to set up your scaffolding!
Being able to set up our own is a direct benefit to you. This eliminates the need to find a subcontractor to help with scaffolding, which then save you time and money! Because our repair crews set up and maintain their own scaffolding, homeowners can also rest assured that the only people coming to the job site are our employees.
If you are preparing to have some major chimney repairs such as, rebuilding a chimney from the ground up or adding a new chimney onto your home. You should definitely take scaffolding into considerations, as it contribute to the safety and structural stability of the project. It is extremely important to work with a trained and certified team to set up your scaffolding. For more information on our professional scaffolding set up services contact Jack Pixley Sweeps today!
Spring is the perfect time to get your chimney’s brickwork repaired!
Winter can be a particularly rough time of year for fireplace systems. In addition to heavy use, chimneys are also faced with exposure to the harsh winter elements, including frigid temperatures, ice, snow, and freezing rain. Because of this, many homeowners find that their masonry fireplaces and chimneys are in need of repair when spring finally arrives.
Spring is the perfect time of year to have masonry repair work done. The mild temperatures and conditions allow work to be quickly completed with a minimum of weather-related delays. Likewise, because most homeowners do not use their fireplaces in the spring, our appointments for spring masonry repairs are often quickly filled.
Water damage and your masonry chimney
Chimneys are built strong to withstand the force of the elements. However, even the best built chimneys have one major enemy: water.
Water damage can quickly damage any masonry structure, sometimes in as little as one season. Although bricks are designed to be naturally porous, too much water can overwhelm them. When water is absorbed by the bricks during the winter, it freezes and expands. When the water melts, it leaves behind bigger cracks and holes, allowing even more water to enter the bricks. This freeze thaw process can lead to bricks cracking and even falling away from the chimney structure if left unrepaired.
Water can also find its way into your fireplace and chimney system through defective chimney caps, damaged or improperly installed flashing, or due to a number of other possible causes. Because it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of water entry and damage, it is recommended to have your entire chimney system professionally evaluated if a leak is apparent.
Why is chimney maintenance important?
While a few small cracks in the brick may not seem like a major issue, if left unrepaired it can quickly turn into one. Unrepaired chimney damage will only continue to get worse, jeopardizing the health and safety of you and your family. Even no longer using the fireplace is a good option; even if you aren’t using your damaged fireplace, the masonry will still continue to decay.
In order to identify and repair masonry damage as soon as possible, it is recommended that homeowners have a chimney inspection performed each year. “A chimney inspection is like an annual dental check-up,” says Ashley Eldridge, Director of Education for the CSIA. “It’s preventative maintenance that helps minimize potential hazards.”
Our masonry services
At Jack Pixley Sweeps, we can do much more than just clean your chimney. We offer a wide range of masonry services for our customers. Since 1977 we have proudly been providing high quality masonry services to our friends and neighbors in the Saint Paul and Minneapolis area.
Unlike a general contractor, our skilled masons are knowledgeable about the codes, clearances, and other safety standards associated with rebuilding and repairing masonry chimneys. In addition, by choosing a chimney company to make the repairs you can rest assured that our masonry work will be not only aesthetically beautiful, but also safe and functional.
Our spring schedule has already begun filling up with masonry repair appointments. If your chimney needs to be repaired, don’t wait any longer – contact Jack Pixley Sweeps today to schedule your spring masonry repairs!
Types of Masonry Restoration
Masonry materials are remarkably durable — it’s why we can go to Europe and see masonry structures that are still standing (sometimes standing strong) after hundreds and hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. It’s also why chimney professionals like Jack Pixley Sweeps have been using bricks, mortar and other masonry materials to build chimneys for hundreds of years too.
The truth is, though, masonry will degrade and sustain damage at some point. That damage can come from many directions, whether it’s a fire or seismic event or the simple but damaging wear-and-tear of rain, snow and other forms of moisture (including the freeze/thaw process, during which moisture makes its way into small imperfections, then expands with freezing temperatures and busts open the masonry from the inside out).
Still, in a lot of cases, masonry can be repaired or restored. And at Jack Pixley Sweeps and Masonry, we’ve been bringing minimally and majorly damaged masonry chimneys back to beauty and function since 1977. If your masonry needs expert attention, we can help.
Some Of The Masonry Restoration Work We Can Do For You
Whether you have a historic home with a historic chimney to match it or a nearly new chimney, Jack Pixley Sweeps and Masonry technicians can take care of the work you need — we blend modern tools, technology and processes with techniques that have carried through from the early days of our trade. Some of what we can do:
Repairing And Restoring Damaged Chimney Crowns
Your masonry chimney crown’s placement — horizontally, at the very top of the chimney, directly open to baking sun and pounding rain and collecting snow — means it has a key job, but takes a beating. Its role of diverting moisture away from your flue can’t be accomplished well when sun and rain make cracks or spalling masonry develop. We can bring your crown back to proper function, whether we’re dealing with small cracks or a major breakdown.
Refacing A Lackluster Or Damaged Fireplace
Over the years, your chimney needs repair and replacement just like other appliances. Here is some more information.
If your fireplace is showing its age — with stains or damage — or if you just feel its look isn’t working in your home, we can help. We specialize in fireplace front redos that can bring a freshened look or a totally different aesthetic to your fireplace, while ensuring that it functions as effectively and safely as it should. Talk to us about what you think your fireplace needs!
Rebuilding A Failing Firebox
Since it holds the fire itself, your firebox has to stand up to some serious heat, time and again. And if the masonry begins to weaken — crumbling bricks, cracked masonry — it’s not just an eyesore, but a danger.
If your firebox needs an overhaul, we can remove the damaged brick and replace it with strong, new firebricks and refractory mortar. When we’re finished, you’ll have a beautiful firebox that’s built with care, experience and attention to detail, so you can enjoy your fires with the peace of mind that comes with knowing you brought in experts to handle its rebuild.
Rebuilding Chimneys From The Ground Up
When chimney damage is too extensive to make repairs a safe bet, a teardown and rebuild is necessary. It’s an extensive process, but here’s the particularly good news that comes with hiring Jack Pixley Sweeps and Masonry technicians to handle the job: We use time-tested methods to construct our chimneys in a way that provides a beautiful look and vastly extends their service life. We’ll be glad to tell you more about the way we work and how it’s different — just tell us about your project, and we’ll tell you what we can do for you!
If you need masonry restoration work done, or just have any chimney care questions you’d like help with, give Jack Pixley Sweeps and Masonry a call. We’re always here for our valued clients!
