Chimney Repair in North Hills, CA

What North Hills chimneys actually do

Two unrelated chimneys share these blocks. One is brick and mortar. The other is a framed plywood chase. The chase hides a metal pipe. Stucco wraps the outside. From the street they look alike. They fail in different ways. A mason cannot fix the metal one.

Northridge shook this area hard. Many masonry stacks came down then. Replacements went up as chases. That is why the mix is uneven here. Neighbors compare notes and get confused.

Check yours with binoculars from the driveway. Rust streaking down stucco means the chase cover ponds. Flat covers hold water at the storm collar. On brick, look at the crown. Hairline cracks and a broken drip edge matter. Then put a mirror on the firebox floor. Shine up. Offset flue tiles show as a ledge.

Most fireplaces around here burn gas. They sit unused most of the year. Unused flues attract nesting. Valley parrots and roof rats both move in. Santa Ana wind drives ember debris into open tops.

Clay barrel tile roofs complicate access. Old tile cracks under a boot. Matching the profile later is difficult. That work gets done off walkboards.

Plainly, a leaning stack with separated tiles is not worth patching.