Water stains by the fireplace or crumbling joints up top? We find where the water gets in and fix it so it stays fixed.
Chimney repair in Santa Barbara keeps water out of your house by sealing the flashing where the chimney meets the roof and around the crown on top, and by renewing the worn mortar joints between the bricks.
Most people call us after a water stain shows up near the fireplace, or after they spot crumbling joints or a cracked cap on the roof. The fix is often smaller than they fear. Worn joints get the same care as our tuckpointing, and cracked or broken bricks get brick repair while we're up there.
The price turns on how much of the chimney needs work and how hard it is to reach on your roof, and the schedule turns on the weather and on whether the city wants a permit. You'll get your own figure from the estimate once I've seen it. Chimney work is masonry, which California's contractors board licenses as its own trade. We're licensed and fully insured.
Call (805) 456-2871 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing. Photos of the cracked mortar help, along with notes on any recent fire, storm or quake damage.
I come out myself, check the joints, the flashing and the crown, and go over what I find with you. Your estimate spells out what needs fixing now and what can safely wait, so you're not paying for work you don't need.
If you go ahead, we sort out any permit first, then I work on the chimney alongside our crew. Before we pack up, we walk the finished job with you.
Most chimney leaks start where the brick meets the roof or at the very top, so I check those spots along with every joint before I tell you what's wrong. Guessing from inside the house usually means fixing the wrong thing.
At the roof line, industry guidance calls for two layers of flashing, a base piece that sits on the roof and a counter piece set into the brick over it, so ask any mason whether their repair includes both. The crown, the concrete cap on top, gets overlooked a lot, and sealing it keeps water out of the gap between the chimney wall and the flue liner.
What our chimney repair covers:
Most chimneys I look at need their joints and flashing fixed, not a rebuild, because that's where the wear usually is. I lean toward repair when the brick is sound and the chimney stands straight. When bricks are cracking, flaking or loose near the top, patching just buys time, and taking the top down to good brick and laying it back up is the better call. I'll tell you which one yours needs, and why.
Reach is a big part of it, because a tall chimney on a steep roof takes more setup to work on safely than a short one on a low roof. After that it's how much needs doing, from resealing the flashing to repointing a few rows of brick or rebuilding the crown. Matching older brick with a mortar soft enough for it takes more time, and a permit or an inspection first adds a step.
I grew up on a farm, where you fixed a cracked wall yourself because nobody else was coming, and you fixed it so it stayed fixed. I still work that way. I'll show you what I find on your chimney and tell you what can wait, and our crew keeps your yard and roof clean while we work. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
A small flashing leak is easier to fix before water soaks the framing, so call (805) 456-2871 to set up a visit.
Tell us what you're seeing on your chimney and note any recent fire, storm or quake damage. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free on-site estimate with no obligation.
Chimney repair in Santa Barbara usually costs about $700 to $9,000 per project. Smaller fixes like resealing flashing or repointing a section sit toward the low end, and rebuilding the top of a chimney sits toward the high end. That's the going rate around here, not our price, and your own figure comes from the estimate after I've seen the chimney.
Chimney industry guidance recommends a Level 2 inspection before relining a chimney, before selling a house, and after a chimney fire, a bad storm or an earthquake. It covers the roof and the chimney where it runs through any attic, basement or crawl space you can get into, so clear a path to those spots before the visit. After a fire or a quake, I'd rather start with that inspection and base the repair on what it finds than guess.
Your chimney needs repointing, which means raking out the old mortar and packing in new, when the joints have worn back more than a quarter inch, are crumbling, or show hairline cracks or holes. If bricks are cracking along with the joints, have a mason look at it before deciding, because that can point to more than worn mortar. Send us a few photos and I'll tell you what I think.
Mortar usually lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick itself can last 100 years or more. So an older chimney often needs fresh joints long before the brick wears out, and repointing is normal upkeep, not a sign the chimney is failing.
The best repointing mortar is one that's weaker than your brick, because mortar harder than the brick can make the brick faces crack and flake off. It's fair to ask any mason how their mortar compares with your brick before work starts, and I'll tell you what I'd use on yours and why.
You may, because the City of Santa Barbara generally requires a building permit to construct, alter, repair or replace a building or structure. The city's Building Counter & Plan Review issues those permits and checks plans against state law and safety codes, and you can read more on the city's Building & Safety page. We find out which office covers your address before work starts, handle the application and meet the inspector when one's needed, and tell you up front how the review time fits the schedule.
We're based in Santa Barbara and do chimney work in Goleta, Montecito and the cities around them. Pick your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.
