Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterOur Chimney Repair Services in Ramtown
Mortar Repointing
The prefab systems common in Ramtown don’t have full masonry chimneys, but they do have mortar at critical junctions - between the chase cover and the flue cap, at the transition from siding to chimney chase, and around any brick veneer that frames the fireplace opening. Monmouth County’s freeze-thaw cycles open hairline cracks in that mortar within a few seasons. Water gets in, freezes, expands, and suddenly you’ve got gaps that let combustion gases leak into wall cavities. Our repointing removes deteriorated mortar to proper depth and replaces it with color-matched, weather-resistant compound rated for chimney exposure. We’ve repointed dozens of Ramtown homes where the original builder-grade mortar had turned to sand after twenty winters.
Spalling Brick Repair
Some Ramtown homes, particularly the earlier 1970s builds near the Pinelands edge, have partial brick chimneys or brick veneer surrounds that show classic spalling - brick faces flaking off, mortar crumbling, white efflorescence blooming on the surface. That efflorescence is salt migration from water intrusion, and it’s a warning that freeze-thaw damage is accelerating. We cut out spalled bricks, match them for color and texture, and rebuild the affected courses with proper weep holes and drainage. In Ramtown’s climate, spalling left untreated turns into structural compromise within three to five years.
Chimney Waterproofing
This is where Ramtown’s specific conditions hit hardest. Those 1980s prefab chase covers were thin-gauge galvanized steel, rated for maybe fifteen years in moderate climates. Monmouth County isn’t moderate. The nor’easters drive rain horizontally into every gap, and winter freeze-thaw cycles stress metal seams until they crack. Once water gets past the chase cover, it runs down the insulated metal flue and pools in the firebox, rusting the UL-listed steel panels from the top down. Our chimney waterproofing for Ramtown homes starts with replacing failed chase covers using Famco or Gelco components - heavier-gauge metal with proper drip edges and storm collars. We then apply vapor-permeable waterproofing sealant to any masonry elements, ensuring trapped moisture can escape while new water stays out. A homeowner off Salem Hill Road called because their 1984 builder colonial’s prefab fireplace smelled like tar every time the heat kicked on; our techs found third-degree glazed creosote in the triple-wall flue, a cracked chase cover that had been leaking for seasons, and a firebox whose UL-listed steel panels had rusted past service life - we documented each finding on camera and walked the homeowner through repair options without pushing replacement. We sourced a DuraFlex flue liner and a Famco chase cover, repointed the mortar at the flue cap, and waterproofed the assembly; the next burn season the draft was clean and the smell was gone.
Flashing Repair
Ramtown’s split-level and colonial rooflines create complex intersections where chimney chases meet shingles. Original builder flashing was often step flashing with minimal overlap, and after forty years the sealant has dried, nails have backed out, and wind-driven rain finds its way in. We remove compromised flashing, inspect the underlying deck for rot (common where chase covers have leaked), and install new counter-flashing integrated with your roofing. On prefab chases, we pay particular attention to the saddle or cricket behind the chase - a detail many Ramtown builders skipped in the 1980s, leading to chronic pooling and accelerated deterioration.
