HistoricHistoric Brick & Lime Mortar
Repointing, brick replacement and corbel rebuilds on older chimneys, with materials that suit soft historic brick.
- Lime-based mortar
- Salvaged and matched brick
- Corbel restoration
On call 24/7
Old Brick, New Furnaces, One ChimneyCrewWesterville chimney repair, relining and sweeping, from 1890s Uptown homes to 1990s Genoa Township builds
Westerville has two kinds of chimneys. Around Otterbein and Uptown there's soft, hand-laid brick that needs the right mortar and gentle hands. Out in the subdivisions there are factory-built fireboxes wearing out and water heaters left venting alone up a big masonry flue after a furnace upgrade. We handle both, and someone picks up whenever you call, day or night.
Lime mortarfor historic brick
43081Eastwind Dr shop
24/7phones & dispatch
Restoration · Uptown
9:41
WC
Westerville Chimney
Tech available
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Hard modern mortar on soft old brickCracks the brick
Lime mortarBrick lasts
Uptown & Otterbein-area homes
Historic chimneys need a lighter touch
Soft brick, soft mortar
Brick from the 1800s is softer than modern mortar. We repoint with lime-based mortar so the joints give, not the brick.
Corbelled tops
Stepped decorative caps are rebuilt course by course to keep their original look.
No flue liner
Many older chimneys were built without one. Relining lets you light a fire in them again without worry.
Settled foundations
Old footings shift, and an opening where brick meets siding needs a real repair, not caulk.
What we fix
Chimney services across Westerville
Whatever your home's age, from the brick chimney to the fireplace or furnace flue, we keep it venting safely.
Historic
After a furnace swapWater Heater & Furnace Liners
When a new high-efficiency furnace vents out the side wall, the water heater is left alone in an oversized flue. We reline it to the right size.
- Aluminum and stainless liners
- Matched to the BTU rating
- Draft and CO testing
Factory-builtPrefab Fireplace Repair
Many 1980s and 1990s homes have factory-built fireplaces. We replace cracked refractory panels, damaged pipe and worn dampers with the right parts.
- Refractory panel replacement
- Chimney pipe and cap
- Damper repair
Clean & checkSweeping & Inspections
Flue brushed, firebox and smoke shelf cleaned, then a camera inspection with photos and a plain-English report.
- Wood fireplaces and stoves
- Camera inspections
- Pre-purchase reports
StructuralLeaning & Damaged Chimneys
Chimneys tilting off the wall, loose upper brick and failed crowns, fixed with partial or full rebuilds.
- Separation assessment
- Rebuilds above the roofline
- New crowns
Around the clock24-Hour Emergency Help
Smoke in the house, a CO alarm traced to a flue, water dripping in or a critter wedged in the flue? Phone us whenever it happens.
- Nights, weekends, holidays
- Temporary caps and tarps
- Safety shut-down guidance
New furnace? Check the chimney
The "orphaned" water heater problem
Upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace is smart, but the new unit usually vents through PVC out the side of the house. The old gas water heater keeps using the chimney alone, and a flue sized for two appliances is far too big for one.
Weak draft
Exhaust cools before it reaches the top and can spill back into the basement.
Condensation inside the flue
Acidic moisture eats clay tiles and mortar from the inside out.
Carbon monoxide risk
Poor venting can push CO into the home. Working CO alarms on every floor are a must.
The fix: a sized liner
A liner matched to the water heater restores draft and protects the masonry.
Old flue for 2 appliancesToo big for 1
Sized linerDraft restored
How relining works
Four steps to a safe flue
Most relining jobs are done in a day, with no tearing into walls and very little mess inside.
SCAN
Camera inspection
We look at the existing flue and photograph cracks, gaps and buildup.
SIZE
Match the appliance
We calculate liner size from the appliance's rating and the chimney height.
INSTALL
Drop it in
The liner goes down from the roof, gets connected at the bottom and capped at the top.
TEST
Draft & CO check
We fire the appliance and confirm it drafts properly with no spillage.
Westerville & nearby
From Eastwind Drive to Polaris and beyond
We sit just north of I-270 in Westerville, close to State Street, I-71 and Alum Creek, a short drive from Uptown, Genoa Township and Lewis Center. Choose an area.
On the way toBlendon Twp
About6 min
Your neighborhood
Live answer, 24/7
Tech leaves Eastwind Dr
Text with arrival time
Diagnose, explain, repair
Estimated times from 975 Eastwind Dr. I-270 and I-71 traffic can slow things down, and we'll give you an honest ETA when you call.
Is someone available overnight?
Always. The phone is staffed 24 hours a day, every day, and urgent problems such as smoke or fumes inside, water coming through, or an animal trapped behind the damper get a technician sent out right away.
We got a new furnace. Why does the water heater need a chimney liner?
High-efficiency furnaces usually vent through plastic pipe out a side wall, which leaves the water heater venting alone into a flue sized for two. That large flue drafts poorly and collects condensation. A liner sized to the water heater fixes both problems.
What mortar should be used on old brick?
Brick from the 1800s and early 1900s is soft. Repointing it with hard Portland cement mortar can make the brick crack and flake. A softer lime-based mortar flexes with the brick and lets moisture escape through the joints instead.
My older chimney has no liner. Is that a problem?
Yes, if you use it. The national chimney standard, NFPA 211, calls for a liner to protect the house from heat and flue gases. An unlined chimney can be relined with stainless steel or a cast-in-place system so it can be used safely.
The panels inside my prefab fireplace are cracked. Can I still use it?
Hairline cracks may be acceptable, but wide cracks or missing pieces mean heat can reach the metal box behind them. Stop using it and have the refractory panels replaced with parts made for that model.
There's a widening gap between my chimney and the siding. What causes it?
Usually the footing underneath has settled. We check how far it's moved and recommend anything from securing and repointing to rebuilding the upper section.
Where do you work?
Westerville and Uptown, Genoa and Blendon townships, Minerva Park, Polaris, Lewis Center, Galena, Sunbury, Delaware, Worthington, Northland and Gahanna.
Areas served
Westerville and north Columbus
Franklin and Delaware county neighborhoods within easy reach of our shop.
- Westerville
- Uptown Westerville
- Genoa Township
- Blendon Township
- Minerva Park
- Polaris
- Lewis Center
- Galena
- Sunbury
- Delaware
- Worthington
- Northland
- Gahanna
- Central College
Historic brick or a brand-new furnace, call us.
Westerville Chimney & Masonry answers 24/7 for repairs, relining, sweeps and emergencies.
(614) 265-8860 Call Westerville Chimney
Westerville Chimney & Masonry
975 Eastwind Dr, Suite 115
Westerville, OH 43081
(614) 265-8860
Route on Google Maps →
Westerville, OH 43081
(614) 265-8860
Route on Google Maps →
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |