Penn Ohio Roofing
Chimney Rebuilding in Western PA and Eastern Ohio
Rebuilds from the roofline up or from the base when brick and mortar are past repointing.
A chimney rebuild takes the deteriorated masonry apart and lays it back up with sound brick and correctly matched mortar. It is the right answer when brick faces have spalled, units have loosened, or the stack has moved out of plumb — conditions that repointing cannot fix because the brick itself is failing. Many rebuilds only go from the roofline up, since the section above the roof takes the weather and the section below is usually protected and stable.
Above the roofline versus a full stack
The portion of a chimney above the roof is exposed on all sides and takes the direct hit from rain, snow, and wind-driven water. It is also the section that gets no benefit from the warmth of the house, so it cycles through freezing and thawing more times per winter than the masonry below. That is why deterioration is so often confined to the top several feet.
When the brick below the roofline is sound, we take the stack down to that point and rebuild upward. That keeps the work smaller, the disruption shorter, and the cost lower. A full rebuild from the base is reserved for stacks with structural movement, failing brick through the interior of the house, or a firebox and smoke chamber that need to be rebuilt along with the exterior.
What we do differently on a rebuild
We salvage sound brick where it can be cleaned and reused, and we match new units for size, texture, and color as closely as the local supply allows. On homes built before 1950 — common in Sharon, Farrell, Youngstown, New Castle, and Warren — we match the mortar to the original soft lime-based mix rather than defaulting to a modern Portland-heavy blend that would be harder than the brick around it.
Every rebuild ends with the assembly that keeps the new work dry: a cast crown with an overhang and drip edge, correctly integrated step and counterflashing at the roof, and a cap over the flue. Rebuilding brick without finishing those three details simply restarts the same failure on a longer clock.
What the Work Involves
- 1Inspect and document the stack, then determine the takedown point — roofline or lower.
- 2Protect the roof, gutters, and grounds and set staging for safe access.
- 3Take down deteriorated masonry course by course rather than pushing it over.
- 4Clean and salvage sound brick; source matching units for what cannot be reused.
- 5Mix mortar matched to the original for composition, strength, and color.
- 6Relay the stack plumb and level, keeping joints consistent with the original profile.
- 7Cast a new crown with an overhang and drip edge, sloped to shed water.
- 8Install new step flashing and counterflashing, then a cap and screen over the flue.
What Failure Looks Like
- Brick faces flaking, popping, or shedding onto the roof
- A stack that visibly leans or separates from the house wall
- Loose brick that moves under hand pressure
- Wide open joints where repointing has already failed once
- Interior staining that continues after crown and flashing work
- Missing or displaced brick after a storm or tree impact
What Drives the Cost
We do not publish fixed prices for masonry work, because no two chimneys or walls are the same and an honest number requires seeing the structure. These are the factors that move the estimate up or down:
- How many courses come down — roofline-up versus full-stack
- Chimney height, roof pitch, and staging or lift requirements
- Whether brick can be salvaged or all new units must be sourced
- Brick matching difficulty on older or discontinued units
- Whether the flue liner, crown, cap, and flashing are included
- Time of year, since mortar needs suitable curing conditions
Insurance Claim Assistance
Sudden damage — a lightning strike, a wind event, or a tree impact — is typically treated as a covered claim. Gradual deterioration from age and freeze-thaw is typically treated as maintenance and excluded. We document the condition either way with photos and work directly with your adjuster when there is a claim to file. We do not promise coverage.
Financing Available
Chimney Rebuilding work is often unplanned. We offer the same financing options as our roofing projects, so the repair can be spread across manageable monthly payments instead of coming out of savings all at once.
Financing OptionsRelated Services
Chimney Rebuilding — Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you rebuild only the part of the chimney above the roof?
- Yes, and it is the most common rebuild we perform. When the masonry below the roofline is sound, we take the stack down to that point and rebuild upward. It costs less than a full rebuild, takes less time, and addresses the section that actually takes the weather.
- How long does a chimney rebuild take?
- A roofline-up rebuild is usually two to four working days including staging, takedown, relaying, crown, and flashing. A full-stack rebuild runs longer. Weather adds time because mortar needs suitable temperatures to cure, and we would rather wait a day than lay joints that will not last.
- Will the new brick match my existing brick?
- We salvage sound brick where possible and source the closest available match for the rest. On pre-1950 homes an exact match is not always manufactured anymore, so we show you samples before ordering. Matching the mortar color correctly does as much for appearance as matching the brick.
- Should I do the roof at the same time?
- If the roof is near the end of its life, yes. Flashing is integrated into both the masonry and the shingles, so doing both at once means one crew builds one continuous water-shedding assembly instead of two contractors working around each other later.
- Is a rebuild covered by insurance?
- Rebuilds caused by a sudden event such as lightning, a wind event, or a tree strike are typically claim-eligible. Rebuilds needed because decades of freeze-thaw wore the masonry out are typically treated as maintenance. We document conditions and work with your adjuster when there is a claim.