5.030 Google reviews10-year guarantee, up to 20 years depending on the job
Chimney repairs in Croydon, from crumbling pointing to leaking lead
Apex carry out chimney repairs all over Croydon, from repointing a crumbling stack to renewing the flashing in code 4 lead. Patrick shows you photos of the stack first, and you pay nothing until the job is finished.
Free chimney repair quote
Pick the job. It takes about 30 seconds.
Or call free on 0800 404 6688. Pay on completion.
5.0 on Google30 reviews, all 5 stars
Expert Roofer VerifiedEvery check passed, see our profileChimney work we carry out
Nearly every chimney leak comes down to one of two things: the mortar or the lead.
Signs your chimney needs repairs
Chimneys take the worst of the weather, and sooner or later they show it.
Mortar washing out of the joints
Gaps between the bricks where the mortar has crumbled let rain soak into the stack. You will often find sand on the roof tiles below.
Lead lifting or split
Lead flashing that has pulled out of the brickwork or cracked along a fold lets water run straight down the side of the stack into the roof.
Damp on the chimney breast
Brown stains or damp patches on the chimney breast in a bedroom, or on the loft side of the stack, almost always trace back to the chimney outside.
Cracked flaunching or loose pots
The sloped mortar cap around the pots cracks with frost. Water gets in behind it, and a loose pot becomes a real danger in high winds.
Plants growing from the stack
Weeds or moss growing out of the brickwork mean the joints are open and holding water. The roots push the bricks further apart every year.
How we repair a chimney
The chimney is the part of the roof you cannot see properly from the ground, so the photos matter more here than anywhere. Patrick gets up to the stack, photographs every face, the pots, the flaunching and the lead where it meets the tiles, and sends you the lot. Then he explains what is failing and why, and gives you one price for the repair. You have seen the problem before you say yes.
Loose and crumbling mortar is raked out to a proper depth and the stack is repointed in a mortar that suits the brick. Cracked flaunching is broken out and rebuilt around the pots. Where the lead has failed, we strip it and fit new code 4 lead flashing, stepped into the brick joints and finished with lead seal. Old mortar and lead leave with us, and the roof below is swept clean before we go.
- Photos of every face of the stack
- Raked out and repointed to suit the brick
- Flaunching rebuilt around the pots
- New code 4 lead flashing and lead seals
- Waste taken away and the roof swept
Chimneys on Croydon's older houses
Croydon's Victorian terraces and Edwardian villas were built for coal fires, and most still carry their stacks even where the fireplaces were blocked up decades ago. A redundant chimney still has to keep the rain out. The 1930s semis in Selsdon and Shirley share a stack on the party wall, and the terraces in Thornton Heath and Norbury have big shared stacks with rows of pots. Patrick works on all of them, and on a shared stack he will explain exactly what sits on your side.
Chimney customers on stacks that stopped leaking
Very satisfied with results on chimney pointing and lead seal
Had a leak in my lead flashing around my chimney wanted to get it renewed Patrick came with he's team of men and carried out work involving all new code 4 lead flashing since then never seen a leak very happy with the work
Had a leak in my chimney Patrick came with he's team after discussing the best way to move forward we proceed very happy with the end results and the guarantee provided highly recommend
Apex roofing and guttering Ltd came and gave me a free quotation on a new roof once I match several quotes I decided to go ahead with Apex. They kept me updated throughout the process showing photos and explaining what’s happening the process was so easy for me highly recommend to anyone needing work done
Highly recomend apex roofing and guttering ltd patrick came gave me a quote to get repairs done couple weeks later once agreed we aranged a time showed up on time and carried out work as promised highly recomend
Had a problem with my flat roof patrick came and found the solution made it very easy along the way showing me photos and excepting payment on completion highly recomend apex roofing and guttering ltd
What chimney repairs cost
Chimney work is priced on the size of the stack, how much of it needs attention and how safely we can reach it. Repointing one face is a smaller job than repointing all four and rebuilding the flaunching, and a stack on a three-storey house needs more access than one on a bungalow. Patrick prices it from the photos he takes, and the price he agrees is the price you pay.
What sets the price
- Size of the stack and number of pots
- Repointing, flaunching, lead, or all three
- Roof height and how we reach the stack
- Scaffold or roof ladder
- Shared stack on a party wall
- Condition of the tiles around the base
Chimneys questions
Why is my chimney leaking?
A chimney leaks through one of four routes: open mortar joints, failed lead flashing, cracked flaunching or an open pot. Rain soaks into the brick and runs down inside the stack, so the damp often shows up well below the actual fault. Patrick checks all four and shows you the photos, so the repair goes after the real cause and not a guess.
Do I need to repair a chimney I no longer use?
Yes. A redundant stack still stands in the weather, and open joints, cracked flaunching or failed lead will let water into the house just as they would on a working chimney. We repair it the same way, and Patrick will photograph the pots and the top of the stack so you can see how it is holding up.
What is flaunching on a chimney?
Flaunching is the sloped mortar bed around the base of the pots on top of the stack. It holds the pots in place and throws rain off the top of the chimney. When it cracks, water gets into the stack and the pots can work loose. We break out failed flaunching and rebuild it in a strong sand and cement mix.
Who is responsible for a shared chimney stack?
Both owners share responsibility for a stack that sits on the party wall, in the same way as the wall itself. Each of you looks after the flues and pots that serve your own house, and the cost of repairs to the shared stack is normally split between you. Patrick will photograph both sides so you and your neighbour can see what needs doing and agree it together.
Is a leaking chimney an emergency?
A drip in heavy rain is not an emergency, but it will not fix itself and it gets worse with every storm. Water soaking into the stack rots the timbers around it and stains ceilings and chimney breasts. A loose pot or brickwork moving in the wind is urgent. Either way, call Patrick on 0800 404 6688 and he will come out and show you what he finds.
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Damp on your chimney breast?
Call Patrick free on 0800 404 6688 and he will get up to the stack and send you photos of what is letting the water in.