How Often Should a Chimney Be Inspected?
TL;DR Most chimneys need one inspection a year. That’s the national fire safety standard, NFPA 211, and it holds whether the fireplace burns every weekend or hasn’t been lit in a decade. If you’ve never had your chimney inspected, you’re not behind, you’re just due. Fall is a practical time to book it, so anything […]
Why Is My Basement Damp in Summer? How to Tell If It’s Condensation or a Leak
TL;DR A damp, musty basement through the summer is usually condensation, not a leak: warm, humid air hitting cool foundation walls, easing off as fall air dries out. A real leak behaves differently, tracking from one spot, worsening after rain, and leaving staining or efflorescence, the white chalky residue water leaves in masonry. That difference […]
Repointing Old Brick: Why Your Brick Is Crumbling and the Mortar Looks Brand New
TL;DR Brick faces flaking off in thin sheets. A gritty orange pile collecting at the base of the wall. Mortar joints that somehow look newer and sharper than the brick around them. That last one isn’t a coincidence. On a lot of older Greater Boston homes, the brick started coming apart after the repointing, not […]