Chimney Repair for Piedmont Homes

What the city's exemption list means for chimney work

The City of Piedmont publishes a list of projects that are exempt from planning review. Two items on that list apply directly to chimneys. Both depend on the finished work being painted to match the house.

Caps, tie-downs and seismic bracing

City of Piedmont lists new chimney tie-downs, seismic bracing and caps as projects not requiring a Planning permit, provided bracings and caps are painted to match the structure walls, chimney or roof color. (source: City of Piedmont - Projects that don't require a Planning permit)

This applies to any Piedmont homeowner adding one of these items to a chimney. Many chimney repairs end with a new cap to keep rain and debris out of the flue. When a repair includes a cap, the paint finish is part of meeting the listed condition, so decide the color while planning the job, not after it's done. If the cap is the main thing you need, chimney cap installation in Piedmont covers that job on its own. If tie-downs or seismic bracing are going on the chimney too, the same paint-to-match condition applies to the bracing.

Removing a chimney instead of repairing it

City of Piedmont lists complete removal of exterior architectural elements, including chimneys, as not requiring a Planning permit, provided the area is patched and painted to match the adjacent wall, eave or roof. (source: City of Piedmont - Projects that don't require a Planning permit)

This matters when a chimney is badly damaged and you're deciding what to do with it. The usual choices are to repair it, rebuild it or take it out. The listing covers complete removal, and only when the wall, eave or roof is patched and painted to match afterward. For help judging whether a damaged chimney can be saved, read our guide to chimney repair vs rebuild. We give free estimates for repair and for a rebuild, so you can compare before you decide.

Chimney repair in brief

Chimney repair fixes the parts of a chimney that wear out or get damaged. On a brick chimney, that means repointing failed mortar, replacing loose or spalling brick and repairing a cracked crown at the top of the chimney stack. It also includes flue repair when the liner is cracked or deteriorated, and chimney chase cover replacement when a rusted chase cover on a prefab chimney starts letting water in. For the full scope, read how chimney repair works.

When repair fits, and when another job fits better

• Repair fits for crumbling mortar, loose or flaking brick, a cracked crown, water stains on walls or ceilings near the chimney, a damaged flue liner or a rusted chase cover.
• For a blocked chimney, such as a nest, fallen debris or heavy buildup in the flue, the first job is clearing the obstruction. That is a separate cleaning job, not a repair.
• A missing or damaged cap with a sound chimney under it calls for a new cap on its own, painted to match as the city's listing requires.
• When damage reaches deep into the stack, compare repair, a rebuild and removal before committing to any one of them.

Booking chimney repair in Piedmont

For chimney, fireplace and dryer vent work beyond repairs, browse everything we do in Piedmont. For more detail on the work itself, read about our chimney repair service.