Chimney Inspection
Level 1 and camera inspections with a written 21 point report, for yearly checks, home sales and after a fire.
Inspection
Rochester chimney repointing
Chimney Repointing in Rochester, NY
For chimney repointing in Rochester, NY, Rochester Premier Chimney Sweep grinds out the crumbling mortar, packs in new mortar colored to match, and cleans the brick. Tuckpointing done right means a chimney that stands straight again.
Mortar joints are the grout in a bathroom, except they live outside in a city that freezes and thaws dozens of times a winter. After enough winters the gray lines between the bricks turn sandy and shrink back, and water gets in behind the brick. Repointing, also called tuckpointing, replaces them. We grind out the loose mortar, pack in new mortar that matches your old color, and clean the brick. From the street, nobody should see where we worked. From the roof, the chimney is tight again.
Chimney Repointing Options
A few joints at the top or the whole stack, depending on what the brick tells us
Partial Repointing at the Top
The top few feet take the worst weather, so they fail first. We repoint just the worn section when the rest of the chimney is sound. It saves money and fixes what is actually leaking.
Full Chimney Repointing
Every joint, top to bottom, ground out and filled so the whole chimney ages at the same rate. This is the right call when the mortar is soft across the whole stack, or the chimney is old.
Color-Matched Mortar
We mix a small test batch and let it dry before we go to work, because new mortar always looks darker when wet. The goal is a repair no neighbor can pick out from the street.
Replacing Spalled Brick
A brick whose face has flaked off cannot be repointed. We cut it out and lay a matching brick in its place. Our supplier discounts on brick and mortar mean you do not pay a markup for the match.
Chimney Repointing Prices
- Partial repointing, top of one chimney: $600 to $1,400
- Full repointing, one story: $1,400 to $2,600
- Full repointing, two story or tall chimney: $2,400 to $3,500
- Replacing spalled bricks: priced per brick on the quote
- Brick cleaning after the work: included
Height and how much mortar is missing set the price. Free quotes after a roof look.
Every Repointing Job Includes
- Loose mortar ground out, not just scratched at
- Type N mortar mixed and colored to match
- Joints packed full and tooled smooth
- A wash of the brick when we finish
- A test patch of color before the full job
- Before and after photos for your records
How Much Does Chimney Repointing Cost in Rochester?
Chimney repointing in Rochester costs $600 to $1,400 for the top of one chimney and $1,400 to $3,500 for the whole stack in 2026. The price depends on the chimney's height, how much mortar has failed and how hard the roof is to reach. Bricks that need replacing are extra.
| Repointing job | Typical chimney | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Partial, top section | Ranch or one story, worn crown area | $600 to $1,400 |
| Full chimney, one story | Single chimney, soft mortar throughout | $1,400 to $2,600 |
| Full chimney, two story | Tall chimney or two flues | $2,400 to $3,500 |
| Add spalled brick replacement | A few loose faces | priced per brick |
We did about 60 repointing jobs this year, and almost all of them started as a few missing joints near the top. Don't wait for a chimney to lean before you call. Joint repair is cheap compared with taking the top apart and relaying every brick.
How Do You Know If a Chimney Needs Repointing?
A chimney needs repointing when the mortar is crumbling, sandy, cracked or sunk back from the brick face. You may also see loose bricks, white powder on the brick or damp spots on the ceiling near the chimney. A flat screwdriver pressed into a joint should not sink in.
Crumbling and Sandy Mortar
From the yard, binoculars will show you. Look for gray lines that are dark, hollow or missing in spots. Sand or gray grit on the roof or in the gutter below the chimney is a sign it is already coming off. The mortar is meant to be the sacrificial part, so replacing it is routine upkeep.
Spalling Brick and White Powder
When water gets behind brick and freezes, the face flakes off. That is spalling. The white powder you sometimes see is efflorescence, minerals the water carries out of the brick. Neither one is the disease, just the symptom. We repoint, replace what flaked, and then seal with chimney waterproofing so it does not repeat.
Leaks Near the Chimney
A damp patch on the wall or ceiling near the chimney can come from open joints, a cracked crown or flashing at the roof line. We climb up and look at all three, and we will say if the leak is at the flashing, which is a roofer's job. If the joints are the cause, repointing stops it. The crown is a separate repair.
Why Repointing Beats Rebuilding
A rebuild takes the chimney apart brick by brick and starts again. Repointing fixes the cause of the damage while the bricks are still good. If you catch it early, you pay a fraction of a rebuild. If you wait until the top leans, you may be looking at a chimney rebuild. One we saw in Penfield last winter went from a $900 repoint to a $4,500 rebuild in three seasons, because it had to wait.
We repoint chimneys across Monroe County, including Webster, Penfield and Pittsford.
Questions we hear
Chimney Repointing FAQs
What is the difference between repointing and tuckpointing?
In most of the trade the two words mean the same thing: removing old mortar from the joints and filling them with new mortar. Some masons use tuckpointing for a two-color finish that sharpens the look of the joints. For a chimney, either word means the same repair.
How long does chimney repointing take?
A partial repoint of the top section usually takes one day. A full repoint on a tall chimney can take two days, plus time for the mortar to cure. We start when the forecast is dry and above freezing, so a late October job may slip a few days with the weather.
Will the new mortar match my old mortar?
We can usually get close. We mix a test batch, let it dry, and compare it to your mortar before we start. New mortar looks darker when wet and lightens as it cures. A good match is a repair you cannot spot from the street, though old, weathered mortar never matches perfectly.
How often does a chimney need repointing?
There is no fixed schedule. Mortar in a Rochester chimney often lasts several decades, but exposed tops go sooner. Check the joints from the ground each spring with binoculars, and have us look at the roof level every few years or after a hard winter.
Our reviews
What Rochester Customers Say
We had a brown stain by the chimney every spring and two roofers blamed the shingles. Ron went up, took pictures of the crown and showed me the crack. New crown, dry ceiling, and he mentioned two cracked bricks before I asked.
Karen L.Crown repair · Irondequoit Bought a 1940s house in Brighton and the inspector said the chimney needed a closer look. They sent a camera down the flue the next week and gave us a report the bank wanted. We closed on schedule.
Matt & Priya S.Camera inspection · Brighton Our wood stove would not draw. They fitted a stainless liner and a new cap in one day, showed me how to burn it and haven't left a speck of soot on the carpet. First winter with no smoky smell.
Dan W.Liner and cap · Greece
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Smoke, Smell or a Wet Ceiling by the Chimney? Tell Us.
Leave your name, number and a line about your chimney. We call back within one business day, and often the same afternoon.
- Photos before any quote
- 21-point report after every visit
- Free quotes on repairs