Chimney rebuild

[@unlimitedhomeinspection7038]

As a home inspector in NY & NJ I see a lot of chimneys. The vast majority of masons in my area need to watch this video. Great job.

[@chadvaillancourt]

Thank you!

[@stevelovelace1426]

What a nice job you did. I am very impressed with your attention to detail, explaining every step along the way. I wish all contractors did the same. You are a master craftsman, Chad. I have a 3 flue brick chimney that needs to be replaced from the roof up about 6'. I can't believe the cost, and I'm sure it will not be as good of a job as you did. Thanks for the video.

[@chadvaillancourt]

Thank you! Things have gotten very expensive. I cringe at the prices I’m hearing nowadays. At least you’re taking the time to understand how the job is done. You’ll be able to advocate much better for yourself and what you want done.

[@robert-ne1835]

Hey, I guess the old saying “Ask and you shall receive” is true! I asked in your last video for some time-lapse footage and you delivered!!! Thanks for the “explainers” about the failures you encounter and why they happen. Helpful to know. Also really liked your flashing details - nice work.

[@timothyhillchammandan9534]

Hey , thanks for sharing your knowledge. You obviously know what your doing with the masonry. I've only 3 years experience with concrete, but 15 years roofing since then. I must say I was watching and waiting to see when you were going to carefully pry apart the shingles and weave them into that beautiful lead step flashing you made.

[@Ape_Mode]

*You’re not your.

[@nikond90]

I find your videos very interesting, thanks for putting in the work to create them.

[@chadvaillancourt]

My pleasure!

[@paulohlstein2236]

Very nice work. Would have liked to see the construction of the chimney crown.

[@chadvaillancourt]

If I remember right, the file for that video clip was corrupted. 🫤 I’m sure I’ve showed the process in others videos though.

[@JohnSmith-hr2pb]

My brother in Christ, I noticed you had a backpack leaf blower for blowing away debris around the flashing and roof line. I use a Milwaukee Fuel leaf blower. It's much lighter, smaller, and the battery lasts for a very long time. Worth the investment. Also works great for cleaning up saw dust on my chop and table saws. (Also a fellow New Englander).

[@chadvaillancourt]

I lost my Milwaukee fuel blower to TSA on a work trip 😕. I learned my lesson, should have checked it. I bought a Dewalt 60v max since then, its a beast, I carry it with me everywhere.

[@franciscoalmazan4409]

The crown has no over hang

[@chadvaillancourt]

True

[@user-il5wk2bm4b]

This guy really knows what he's talking about!!!

[@aaronfagerstrom34]

Man. Pretty good showcase of experience and understanding. Better flashing and crown work and youll be a great mason

[@chadvaillancourt]

One day. Perhaps you will put out a couple of videos so we can all learn the right way?

[@aaronfagerstrom34]

@@chadvaillancourt hahaha. As soon as I learn the right way, ill make a video. Lol. Sry if I sounded like an asshat. I really was impressed

[@bkoz319]

first time viewer today. A+ work. Craftsmanship...please keep the content coming

[@grind1king]

Nice work!

[@nikond90]

To separate bricks do you suggest cutting the mortar with a diamond blade or using a rotary hammer drill as you did in this video? This would be in an application where a window needs to be replaced and the brick around the window needs to be removed.

[@chadvaillancourt]

If you need to save some of the brickwork abutting the demo area it’s best to use a Diamond blade to tooth out before using a rotary hammer to do the rest. If you’re not saving the brick just hammer away.

[@akaredcrossbow]

I wish you showed the flashing part coming out of the roof. I’m trying to find out how to do this without removing roof shingles. Most videos only show flashing a chimney when they’re putting on new roof shingles. Thank you for the video.

[@jakec5618]

wondering the same

[@davidlynch5236]

I also would like to have seen the cuts and bends of the top two corners. Looked like a great method!

[@chadvaillancourt]

I have a rebuild next week with a similar flashing setup. I get the details on camera and put them that video.

[@akaredcrossbow]

@@chadvaillancourt Thank you so much!

[@davidlynch5236]

@@chadvaillancourt Thanks Chad! It will be great to see how you do this. Unfortunately I need to get my wrapped up so I will be working on it tomorrow. From your video it looked like you left a bit more wrap on the left corner than the right. Curious how much vertical you had on the back gutter or apron. To me it looked like about two inches and I may try for but it seems a bit unforgiving on the 6:12 pitch to get five inches to come around if you go up too high. Thanks for any advice!

[@brikkijim]

No expansion around the flue which made it crack. Probably leaked moisture into back of brick which explains the separation and cracking. Modular bricks just are not long enough for the flue. A standard 8 inch brick works fine to give a little space around flue. I am not a fan of using modular flues because they are so thin but sometimes you just don't have other options.

[@chadvaillancourt]

We haven’t been able to buy a standard brick for many years around here, I wish it were the simple. We can buy modular and standard flues but both have always been the same 5/8” minimum thickness. Unless you buy superior clay products, then they may be 7/16”-1/2” thick, rhombus shaped garbage.

[@brikkijim]

@Chad Vaillancourt I can get standards but only one color from Glen Gery. And only molded brick. Have a great weekend.

[@chadvaillancourt]

I won’t buy Glen-Gery, they put out a horrible product and I refuse to support them. Worst brick I’ve ever used.

[@dholmes4449]

Thanks tons man. Nice work.

[@ryanc248]

What would be the price of a chimney rebuild like this mine is a little taller looking to have it rebuilt next year

[@jakec5618]

Looking good. Just tryna learn, from my understanding, isn't the shingles supposed to cover the flashing ? thanks

[@chadvaillancourt]

There are two ways to do install flashing. One way is to weave the lead with the shingles, and the other is to weave step flashing from the roof and counter flash over the top from the chimney. Both ways are good methods in my opinion. This chimney already had good copper step flashing existing so I just reused it rather than mess with any of the shingles.

[@jakec5618]

@@chadvaillancourt Ahh I see, makes sense. Appreciate the info and reply.

[@LL-yc5jp]

Chad- just found your channel, good stuff. Have you ever used refractory cement to mate the chimney flues?

[@chadvaillancourt]

Thanks. Yes, medium duty refractory is required by code for setting terracotta flues. I mix it on my board as needed.

[@emorems0]

Watching your videos has made me very aware of the expansion of the flue and now I am perplexed at how to adequately secure a Class A chimney extension to the top of my masonry chimney (that will be re-lined with a steel liner). There is a transition plate that will secure the liner to the Class A chimney pipe but the manufacturer is telling me that this transition plate needs to be affixed to the masonry chimney crown with tap-con screws in order to support the weight of the 4-ft Class A chimney. When I asked about how to ensure a bond break, I was told expansion is minimal and that the plate needs to be screwed to the masonry. Is there a better way to re-line a chimney and extend the height by 4ft? I'm worried expansion will break that critical connection between liner and class A pipe. It's a short, simple chimney... about 5 ft current height from the thimble to the top of the masonry and perfectly straight.

[@chadvaillancourt]

It seems you’re trying to extend your chimney higher with class A pipe? If so, I would be hesitant to secure the mechanical system to the masonry system if using rigid pipe and transitioning to class A. I would use a flex liner in this case so the liner can expand into itself before doing damage to the top. If you open up the ribs of the liner slightly it will allow for expansion.

[@emorems0]

@@chadvaillancourt Yes, our masonry chimney is too short for our wood stove requirements, so we need to extend it about 4ft higher. We had decided on a rigid liner for durability since the flex liners that are available are much thinner and also only available in 15ft lengths (we only need about 5ft). I wonder if using a telescoping piece of rigid liner would serve the same purpose of allowing it to expand into itself? I'm sure you are supposed to screw the two pieces of telescoping pipe together, but I think if it is properly supported both above and below, it shouldn't be a problem to let that joint have some movement as long as everything else is properly secured and supported?

[@chadvaillancourt]

Strange, the manufacturers sell liners in 5’ increments, I can order 5’ pieces of anything. The stove manufacturer has to demand a certain height because that is how they were tested at Underwriters Laboratories. This doesn’t mean your wood stove won’t work if it’s a bit shorter. It may work just fine.

[@caseyjohnston8843]

For this job how much did you charge ? I have a few chimney rebuilds coming up my self

[@keithmcphail1152]

That seemed a little Abbott and Costello up and down the ladder. that said, in all seriousness, you guys should build a swing arm with a wheel and the wheel has a tensioner to control the rate of drop. so that everybody below is safe. and it would save all of you hundreds (thousands?) of steps a day. Think of all of the time that you could spend on the staging doing work if you didn't have to go up and down, and up and down, and up and down, ...

[@OtenP_]

Question, when you are putting the flues in there are they sitting loose?

[@chadvaillancourt]

They are mortared together.

[@OtenP_]

@@chadvaillancourtgotcha thanks, also question about the concrete crown. With the way you did the staggered bricks is there no need for a 2 inch overhang crown?

[@chadvaillancourt]

I’ve never really liked the look of a concrete slab overhanging brick, although it’s probably better for durability and dripping water away. I prefer the look of a splay wash myself. I believe that the corbeling outward of the brick helps to shed water away, preserving the chimney. In either case, a stainless cap to cover the chimney is one of the best investment you could make in your chimney.

[@OtenP_]

@@chadvaillancourt appreciate you very much, thank you for the wisdom. Now I’m only having a hard time finding the lead to begin lol

[@OtenP_]

@@chadvaillancourt forgot to ask how thick should the lead be? Would 1/24 inch work?

[@bobkat1663]

Great Show.

[@chadvaillancourt]

Thanks!

[@clarkgarrison7091]

very informative and work of art

[@chadvaillancourt]

Thanks!

[@jamiewatkinson9564]

Would that be $4,500 ish? To rebuild at that height and pitch

[@PaperBeatproduction]

can you do a vid on how you did the lead?

[@chadvaillancourt]

I have other videos that cover this.

[@acf894]

Do you ever take any jobs in Connecticut or have anyone you recommend down here?

[@chadvaillancourt]

I don’t.

[@richarddey6793]

how do you seal flue liners together?

[@chadvaillancourt]

Refractory mortar