Chimney & Fireplace Services in Plum, PA

Chimney and fireplace care in Plum

Homes in Plum feature a mix of older boroughs and newer suburban neighborhoods with masonry and frame homes. Communities east of the city range from long-established boroughs with older brick homes to newer subdivisions, which means a wide range of chimney types and ages.

Mortar joints and repointing

Mortar is designed to weather before the brick does, so on older Plum chimneys the joints are usually the first thing to fail. Once mortar erodes, water pours into the wall through the gaps and freeze-thaw does the rest. Repointing — cutting out the failed mortar and packing in a matched mix — restores both the weather seal and the structural bond, and on many Plum chimneys it's the single repair that adds the most years of life.

The crown is the first thing to go

On chimney after chimney across Plum, the crown — the sloped surface at the very top — is where trouble starts. Exposed concrete crowns crack over time, and in our freeze-thaw climate those cracks widen every winter until water is running straight down into the masonry. Catching a cracked crown early, and sealing or recasting it before the damage spreads, is one of the best-value repairs we do for Plum homeowners.

Why Western Pennsylvania weather is hard on chimneys

The single biggest challenge for chimneys across Plum and the wider Pittsburgh area is water combined with cold. Rain and snow soak into exposed masonry; then, when temperatures drop, that trapped water freezes and expands. Repeated over many winters, this freeze-thaw cycle cracks crowns, washes out mortar joints and pops the faces off brick.

Serving Plum and nearby communities

Lincoln Chimney Services works throughout Plum and the surrounding area. If you're in a neighboring community, we likely serve you too — a few nearby areas are linked from this page, and you can find the full list on our service areas page.