A great old home inspector once remarked that a screwdriver can be the only tool you'll ever need to do home inspections. Now I wouldn't entirely agree with that, as I love my gadgets, but it certainly is one of the top weapons in the home inspector arsenal.
As you can plainly see in the photos, my screwdriver is speaking volumes on the condition of this 100 plus year old chimney. The first and most obvious problem is the mortar is completely deteriorated. It is so soft in fact that I could remove it by scraping it with my finger.
The second is there is either no flue liner or it is completely broken down, hence the soft mortar.
Masonry chimneys of this age are just about always in poor condition. One significant reason is the lack of a flue liner. This chimney in fact was not lined. Another is lack of regular maintenance. Without a liner to protect the mortar and brick the gases from combustion, which are corrosive, break down the components.
Flue liners protect the brick and mortar from the ravages of the flue gases. They also create a barrier from those gases entering the home. They add strength and make cleaning easier as well and greatly extend the life of the chimney.
This chimney will need to be lined. A new poured lining will add strength and immensely extend the life of the chimney. Inserting a stainless steel liner would be easier and less costly, but would not strengthen the structure. As is apparent this chimney needs support.
So as you can see a humble screwdriver can tell you many things. But if the person using it can not interpret the message, it is then just a screwdriver.
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC
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