Rebuilt Chimney
Here is a recent chimney that we rebuilt! If you need chimney repair, give us a call.
Rampart General cracked fireplaces
Pictures of Rampart General cracked fireplaces which are beyond repair and need to be torn down.
Video of chimney which needs major repairs
This as an example of our video inspections. We make sure that the homeowner can see it is their property and they can see the issues. This is an example of a chimney which was allowed to deteriorate and which has substantial cracking both inside and out. It can be repaired but the repairs are significant.
Chimney Reline completed
Rancho Cucamonga after reline completed with two Coatings of heat shield cement and new spark arrest.
Chimney cracks inside chimney
Due to the recent earthquakes in Southern California there have been reports of chimney damage. Some of which you might not be aware of. Here is a video of cracks inside a chimney. If you think you might have damage, get your chimney inspected now before winter comes and you can’t use it when you really need to!
Your chimney and earthquakes
Today parts of the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire and Orange County felt a significant earthquake (7.1). If you have an older masonry chimney and you felt a significant movement of your property, it is usually recommended that you do not use your fireplace until it is inspected with a video camera to make sure there are no hazardous cracks.
If the cracks are small, the cost to fix them is very reasonable. If they are allowed to get larger with additional earthquakes, or rain coming into your chimney, or if you burn a lot of fires, you could have a house fire, or the chimney could deteriorate to a point where major repairs are needed. Read more
Masonry chimneys and fires
The pictures show the inside of a chimney which has cracks and also the outside and top with a cracked crown.
Signs you have had a chimney fire:
You may have had a dangerous fire in your chimney which has compromised the structure of your chimney, and not even know it. It is estimated that every year there are over 10,000 house fires caused by fires in a fireplace. In the last two weeks, we have spoken to realtors in Orange County who reported they knew of homes that burnt down or were severely damaged due to undetected problems in their chimneys. Read more
Is your fireplace a fire hazard?
This is the first in a series of articles to warn consumers about possible fire hazards in their homes.
If your chimney looks similar to the one pictured, it is probably a Rampart General pre-cast cement fireplace. These were manufactured in Santa Ana from the early 1960’s to the mid 1990’s. There are whole communities of them in surrounding areas in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Unfortunately, due to the way they were manufactured, there are often hazardous cracks in the firebox and/or chimney which can result in a house fire if they are used. Read more
Fireplace built in 1933
Old but not abandoned. This fireplace was built in 1933 restored in 76and 2015 after the flood. It was originally attached to a picnic shelter that collapsed during the flood of 2013 — at Lavern M Johnson Park.
Why all pre-cast chimneys should be inspected prior to close of escrow
Here is a quote from a property inspection report done by a property inspection company last week on a home in Lake Forest:
“Pre-cast concrete chimneys were built in factories and then trucked to a site and erected, as distinct from masonry chimneys that are built on site with individual bricks and mortar. In this respect, pre-cast chimneys are unique. However, like all masonry chimneys, they are vulnerable to seismic activity, but unlike masonry chimneys they are also subject to cracks that are induced by the interaction of moisture and a chemical additive that causes the reinforcing steel within the chimney to expand and crack the chimney walls. Such cracks can be small, but they are nonetheless subject to stringent repair methods. However, if any crack penetrates the chimney wall it may be difficult to repair the chimney without costly repairs or replacement or possibly relining the chimney. For this reason, we recommend that all pre-cast chimneys be further inspected/video scanned or certified by a specialist before close of escrow.”
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