Hire the crew that climbs up
A chimney repair contractor in Lomita should be able to tell you what they saw on the roof, show you the photos, and then do the repair themselves. That is how Harris Chimney Contractors works. Crown and masonry repairs are done by the people who checked them, and every roof check is made before the ladder comes down.
We are based in Lomita, so a call here usually means a short drive and a ladder off the truck. If you want someone up on the roof to look at your chimney, book a roof check and say what you have noticed: a crack, a stain on the ceiling, loose bricks, a cap that looks wrong from the yard.
Where chimney damage starts
Water gets into a masonry chimney through the crown, the cap and open mortar joints first, then works down into the firebox, the liner and the structure around it. So we trace the damage back to where it started before we touch a trowel, then repair from crown down to firebox as the chimney needs.
That is the difference between a repair and a patch. A patch covers what you can see from the yard. A repair finds out how far the water went.
What the repair work covers
Here is what a chimney repair visit can include:
- - Open mortar joints raked out and tuckpointed
- A crown wash patched, or torn off and recast
- A damaged flue liner fixed, or a new one run
- Cracks in the brick sealed
- A rough smoke chamber smoothed with parging
- A worn firebox put back in working order
Every visible repair goes back together with mortar and brick mixed to match what is already on the wall. We take photos of each part up top, so the quote is based on what was seen, not guessed from the yard.
What sets the price
Chimney repair has no printed price on this page, since one word covers both a patched crown and a relined flue. The written quote depends on:
- - The damaged part, whether crown, joints, liner, smoke chamber or firebox.
- How far the water has gone, which the roof check and the photos show.
- The height of the stack and the pitch of the roof.
- Whether the brick and mortar need to be matched to an older wall.
- Whether the damage stops at the crown or runs down into the structure.
- Whether the flue needs to be brushed first so the liner can be seen.
Each item is a separate line, so you can see what the money buys.
How the visit and the quote work
The visit starts on the roof. We check the cap, the crown and the flashing while we are up there, and photograph each part. Then we go inside and look at the firebox and the smoke chamber.
After that, you get a quote in writing. It names the repair, the materials and the price, in the order the chimney needs the work. You approve what you want done. Ask for the written repair quote and attach any photos you have.
Rotary brushes are run by hand from the firebox to the cap when the flue needs clearing first. We do that on the same trip as the roof check when the chimney calls for it, and the crew that brushed it is the crew that repairs it.
Lomita chimneys
Plenty of houses along Narbonne Avenue and the side streets off Pacific Coast Highway have a single brick stack that has gone a long while without a brush. We sweep it by hand, then climb up and look at the crown and cap before anyone talks about repairs.
Lomita sits a few miles inland of the water, so morning damp reaches it but salt does less damage than on the beach side. What we find more often is a cracked crown wash and an open flue full of leaves and nests, and both are jobs our own hands close out on the next trip up. If your chimney is like that, schedule the climb and tell us how long the flue has been closed.
Choosing a chimney repair contractor
A repair is only as good as the person who checked the damage first. Ask each company:
- - Who goes up on the roof, and are they the ones who do the repair?
- Will I see photos of each part from up top?
- Do you trace the damage back to where the water got in?
- Is the mortar matched to my wall, or is it a generic mix?
- Is the quote in writing, with each repair priced as its own line?
- Do you tell me when a repair is not enough?
A company that quotes from the street is guessing. A company that sends a crew up and shows you the photos is giving you something to compare.
Small repairs and bigger ones
Not every job is a big one, and we do not refuse the small ones. A cracked crown wash or a loose cap is a fine job. If the roof check shows that the damage runs deeper, we say so, show you the photos and explain what the bigger repair covers. You decide.
What to have ready
- - What you noticed, and where
- Any stain on a ceiling or wall near the chimney
- The number of flues, if you know
- Where the truck and ladder can go
Get someone up on the roof
Harris works 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, all week. Tell us what you noticed through the form or ring (424) 266-4550, and a crew comes up the ladder to look.
Want Us to Look at Yours in Lomita?
Harris Chimney Contractors climbs up to check the cap, crown and flashing, runs the brushes by hand, and sends the same people back for any masonry. Call and tell us what you see from the yard.
