Chimney

[Beansbaked]

Hi sorry to bother you. Recently our new neighbours mentioned that their chimney leans in a little. This got me looking at ours and im wondering if it needs looking at? Is it normal for them to lean a little? It’s a 1960s build with the fireplace inside bricked up but not removed.

 

[Koolpc]

Looks fine to me...

 

[ree]

OP,
Yes, your chimney stack is leaning in. Do all your chimney breasts, including the loft C/B, still exist?
Your roof could do with a cleaning - it might reveal the state of the tiles.
The left side of the roof, & the verge are showing a Pagoda effect - a slight rise above the plane of the roof. The verge tiles are replacement tiles & the verge itself has newish pointing

 

[Beansbaked]

OP,
Yes, your chimney stack is leaning in. Do all your chimney breasts, including the loft C/B, still exist?
Your roof could do with a cleaning - it might reveal the state of the tiles.
The left side of the roof, & the verge are showing a Pagoda effect - a slight rise above the plane of the roof. The verge tiles are replacement tiles & the verge itself has newish pointing

Thanks for your reply. Do you think it’s dangerous and needs looking at? Yes, all the chimney breasts including in the loft are all still in place.

 

[Koolpc]

Look at the mortar in-between the bricks on the chimney. No movement. It was probably built like that!

Don't worry, it looks fine....

 

[Beansbaked]

Look at the mortar in-between the bricks on the chimney. No movement. It was probably built like that!

Don't worry, it looks fine....

Thank you. I am a massive worrier so if even the slightest thing is mentioned I need to know it’s ok. We did have the flashing put on and the cement around the chimney pots redone last year and nothing was mentioned about it then. There’s 2 sets of 2 houses and they all look like they lean the same

 

[noseall]

Do you think it’s dangerous and needs looking at

No. It looks fine. As is the roof by the looks of it.

 

[stevie888]

Thank you. I am a massive worrier so if even the slightest thing is mentioned I need to know it’s ok. We did have the flashing put on and the cement around the chimney pots redone last year and nothing was mentioned about it then. There’s 2 sets of 2 houses and they all look like they lean the same

If the roofers thought there was any risk then I'll bet they would have painted you a black picture to get extra work sorting it out.

 

[ree]

OP,
Your totally non-dangerous stack is leaning - no big deal, only a little but it is still leaning, & merely saying its not leaning isn't going to alter that.
Why would a brickie purposely build not one but two leaning stacks - I kind of doubt that.
Its common for stacks to lean - its typically caused by wind & thermal expansion & contraction ie. rain wetting & wind drying according to the exposure direction of the stack.
Brickwork, by the way, has a marvellous ability to hang tight no matter what its subjected to

The Pagoda effect is also plainly in sight at the verge area but once again its a very slight rise where remedial work has previously taken place.

 

[Beansbaked]

Thank you. I’ve asked our roofer to come and have a look to see what he thinks. We have a builder who does a few things for us, I showed him these photos and he said it’s leaning 4-5 inches and needs looking at. It’s hard to know if I should be worried or not

 

[^woody^]

Many old chimneys lean to some degree due to flue gasses attacking the cement in the mortar. Its not a big deal unless it's a tall slender stack.

BTW, roofers work with tiles, not bricks and tend to be the wrong trade to deal with brick chimneys.

 

[Beansbaked]

Many old chimneys lean to some degree due to flue gasses attacking the cement in the mortar. Its not a big deal unless it's a tall slender stack.

BTW, roofers work with tiles, not bricks and tend to be the wrong trade to deal with brick chimneys.

Sorry if it’s a daft question but if it’s not a roofer who should I be asking?

 

[^woody^]

Bricks = bricklayer!

Roofers may well know something about bricks and mortar, but it may not be the right things, just stuff they have heard.

Ask a "roofer" what he knows about sulphate attack of mortar. And in a follow up question ask him what he needs to do to the joints and what cement he needs to use.

However, TBH, I acknowledge that you could well ask a modern-day bricklayer that and get a blank look!

You just need to be careful that whoever looks at the chimney is both knowledgeable, competent and honest. You don't want them to come down the ladder with a list of work which they would love to do, and get paid for, but is not actually necessary.