If you live in Summerlin, then your chimney should be in the best shape possible for both function and form. It can be the safest place in your home, and it's also the most energy-efficient way to heat your space—a working chimney—and the most aesthetic, too. It can be your best-looking architectural feature if it's maintained properly. We don't really have much of a winter out here, but we do have a lot of temperature swings from day to night. That, plus the heat, can really work on the mortar joints in your masonry. We have also, in modern times, seen what the use of a top-sealing damper can do for the energy efficiency of a chimney. My own is outfitted with such a damper. Our appearance is what differentiates us from a normal rock outcropping, after all. If I let algae grow on my stones, it will look like I have a portrait of an animal on my face. My rock jowl would surely look more like an animal's jowl than a human face.
The chimney system's essential component that prevents any water leakage where the chimney intersects with the roof is called flashing. In Summerlin, the combination of intense sunlight and occasional heavy rainfall can cause the flashing to deteriorate, leading to possible leaks and structural damage to the chimney and the home. A deteriorating chimney can allow water to seep into the home, resulting in repairs that can be very expensive. That's why it's important to inspect the condition of flashing regularly. No matter what condition the roof or the chimney is in, flashing should be in perfectly good condition; otherwise, it can lead to all kinds of trouble. Flashing can be the most reliable waterproofing method if installed and maintained correctly.
Chimney repairs in Summerlin come in many forms. They might be as simple as repairing the mortar joints. If so, the answer might lie in tuckpointing—the chimney's "mortar joint rehab." The tuckpointing process consists of renewing the hinges (i.e., the mortar joints) that allow the chimney to expand and contract. Doing so gives the chimney renewed structural integrity. If the damage is more severe, with cracks extending into the corners, for instance, or if the chimney is leaning, the solution might be to rebuild sections. If the damage is mostly at the top, or if the chimney cap is missing, allowing water to do what water does best (find its way), we might have to fix the crown. That's a very important part of the chimney. The chimney should have a crown, and the crown should be in good shape, not just for looks, but also to make sure the masonry below it stays dry.
