There’s no doubt that a fireplace adds a beautiful, inviting glow to your home. But what happens when the exterior chimney goes unnoticed? The foundation of your home starts shifting, and suddenly, your chimney is pulling away from the rest of your home. Yikes.

You’ll call around to different foundation repair companies and get the same answer every time: “We don’t repair fireplaces.” That's because most companies don't have the right equipment to fix your fireplace.

Don't worry, Expert House Movers and Lifters DOES! Fireplaces are a concentrated heavy load (meaning they can weigh over 30 tons) and we use only the best, galvanized steel products to repair chimneys and foundations alike. So what can cause your chimney to separate from your house in the first place?

Poor Soil Conditions

There are many different conditions that can cause poor soil quality including the growth of tree roots, bad drainage, underground plumbing leaks, or simply natural soil movement. These can all affect the ground under and around your home’s foundation.

Natural Settling

Over time, concrete foundations will naturally shift and sink regardless of how high the quality of the construction or the strength of the material.

Improper Chimney Installation

During home construction, if the soil was not properly compacted before the concrete was poured, it can result in foundation and footing problems including shifting, sinking, and cracking.

Low-quality Materials

While low-grade concrete is often used because it keeps construction costs down, it also brings down the quality and durability of the home’s foundation and the chimney’s footing.

It can be difficult to spot foundation damage when you don’t know what to look for, especially in the case of poor soil conditions. Oftentimes, homeowners aren’t aware of poor foundation construction until there are visible cracks in the interior walls or doors that don’t open or close properly and, by that time, the damage has been done. When you notice any of the following signs, it’s time to call in the professionals at Expert House Movers to stabilize your chimney right away.

• Damage along the roof edge next to the chimney
• Cracks in the walls or ceiling near the fireplace
• Tilting or sinking chimney footing edges
• Gaps between the chimney and the house
• Separation of the fireplace from interior walls
• Cracks in exterior walls around the chimney shaft

How Expert House Movers and Lifters Fixes Chimney Separation

Step1: Chimney Inspection

To start the process, one of our foundation contractors will inspect the footing at the base of your chimney, evaluate the damage, determine the cause of the damage, and strategize with the homeowner on how they plan to proceed.

Step 2: Specialized Shoring Piles/Piers

These piers are long shafts that are designed specifically for fireplace shoring and are driven into the ground underneath the chimney pad where they rest on strong soil in the home’s foundation. This is all done with highly specialized hydraulic rotary drive equipment.

Step 3: Chimney Bracket Installation

After positioning the piers, our experts will install steel brackets around the footing of the chimney that will transfer the weight of the chimney onto either galvanized helical piles, push piles, or earth anchors.

Step 4: Pad Leveling

Once the technicians have stabilized the structure, they raise the footing pad to its proper height. This step is done so that the chimney is back at its original position.

Step 5: Permanently Securing Your Chimney

In this final step, the hydraulic jacks are removed, permanently securing the brackets under the footing. This keeps it from sinking in the future as the chimney’s weight is now entirely supported by the pad installed in step 4, the brackets, and the piers.

The Many Benefits of Chimney Foundation Repair 

• A safer home: You no longer have to feel at risk of your chimney falling and causing severe damage.
• No construction required: This process is a long-term solution that saves you from having to disassemble then completely rebuild the chimney.
• A minimally disturbed yard: This process involves minimal damage to the yard and doesn’t require displacing large amounts of soil.
• Immediate results: Once we’ve gone through the above process, you don’t have to worry about taking any further action. It is now completely stabilized!
• Smooth installation: The work is relatively quick but produces long-term results.
• A permanent fix: The piers and brackets that have been installed prevent future settling, shifting, cracking, or tilting and ensures you will not see chimney separation.

To learn more about our fireplace shoring services and what we can do to protect your home, contact us online or give us a call today at (844) 252-2211.