Brick houses are hard to damage. Anyone familiar with The Three Little Pigs knows that. Inevitably, however, there comes a time when the mortar between bricks begins to degrade. The process of repair, ...

Q. My question is about chimney bricks. In 1987, I bought a twenty year old brick house. The furnace, gas water heater, and fireplace are all in the basement so the double flue chimney rises from ...

When the mortar between bricks starts to fail, more significant problems will begin to emerge. Water will have an easier passage into the structure of your home, leading to unwanted damp issues.

Where to start with chimneys? Probably here: A chimney is not just an elongated window, not just a portal from inside to outside with deep, brick sills. A chimney, in fact, is a machine for generating ...

A fireplace can be an asset in a home, even if it hasn't hosted a roaring blaze in decades. Inactive fireplaces supply charm, rather than warmth. But as lovely as they are, chimneys -- both inactive ...