Q. I own a ranch home that is about 50 years old. About 10 or 12 years ago the facing of the chimney brickwork began to spall and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick pieces began to fall off a number of ...

"A typical old wood-framed house is barely strong enough to keep itself intact, much less have enough strength to keep a very heavy brick chimney upright. Bracing it to an old roof consisting of 2 ...

In the old days the brick was sealed with a masonry sealer, a clear liquid that did such a... Sealing chimney bricks is job for professional SF Gate Logo Hearst Newspapers Logo ...

Fireplace sends heat out, not in; insulate chimney bricks on the exterior to help. Updated: Feb. 13, 2011, 2:00 p.m. ... Your brick chimney is a giant heat sink to the outdoors.

Finally, one more note about inside chimney walls: the look of exposed brick chimneys is popular, but it's historically inaccurate, and can necessitate costly brick repointing.

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) developed years ago the most authoritative set of instructions on residential chimneys, including how to make a chimney crown waterproof. You should get this ...