Chimney repairs and removals in Walthamstow

JBS Roofing Services works on chimney stacks across Walthamstow E17 from our base in Chingford E4, just to the north: Walthamstow Village, Higham Hill, Upper Walthamstow, Wood Street, Blackhorse Lane, Lloyd Park, St James Street and Markhouse Road. Being close by means we can get up and look at a chimney quickly, which matters when it's leaking or something has come loose.

Walthamstow chimneys and what goes wrong with them

Most houses in E17 are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, and almost every one has a brick chimney stack on the party wall, shared with next door. Most were built for coal fires and haven't been used for years, so they tend to be left alone until something goes wrong. The usual faults:

• Worn pointing: the mortar between the bricks wears away, rain soaks into the stack and shows up as damp on the chimney breast inside.
• Cracked flaunching: the mortar cap round the pots cracks with age, letting water into the top of the stack and loosening the pots.
• Lead flashing: where the stack meets the roof, the lead can crack, lift or come away from the brickwork, and rain runs straight in. This is one of the most common causes of a leak round a chimney.
• Loose pots and leaning stacks: after years of weather a pot or the top of a stack can work loose, and that needs making safe quickly.
• Blocked-up flues: a chimney that has been sealed without any ventilation can trap damp inside.

Our chimney services in Walthamstow

• Repointing stacks where the mortar has worn away.
• New flaunching round the pots.
• Lead flashing renewed where the stack meets the roof.
• Pots and cowls refixed, replaced or capped.
• Capping unused chimneys, with ventilation so damp doesn't build up inside.
• Rebuilding stacks that have become unsafe.
• Taking stacks down that are no longer needed, and roofing over the gap to match the rest of the roof.

Recent chimney work in Walthamstow

Chimney stack taken down and roofed over

An unused chimney stack on a Walthamstow roof, taken down below the roof line. With the stack gone, we covered the opening with new breathable membrane and battens, then tiled it in to match the shape of the existing tiles. That leaves no pointing or flashing to look after, and one less place for water to get in.

New flaunching round the pots

New mortar flaunching round the chimney pots on a Walthamstow stack. The flaunching holds the pots in place and throws rain off the top of the stack, instead of letting it soak down into the brickwork.

Lead flashing round chimneys

New lead flashing where a chimney stack meets a tiled roof in Walthamstow, and on a second stack where it meets a new felt flat roof. The lead is set into the brickwork and laid over the roof, so rain runs over the joint instead of into it.

How a Walthamstow chimney job works

1. Call 07577 851662 or send us a message with a photo of the problem, if you can take one safely from the ground.
2. We come out, look at the roof and explain what we've found.
3. You get a clear price before any work starts.
4. We do the work and clear up afterwards.

Walthamstow chimney questions

Should I have my chimney stack taken down?

If you don't use the fireplace and the stack needs work, taking it down below the roof line can be better value than paying for repairs again in a few years, and it removes a common source of leaks. If the stack is in good order, capping it with ventilation is the cheaper option. We'll tell you which makes sense for your roof.

The chimney is shared with next door. Can it still come down?

Usually, yes. Most Walthamstow stacks sit on the party wall, so your neighbour needs to agree, and taking a shared stack down normally needs a party wall notice. It's worth talking to them before the work is booked.

Do I need permission to take a chimney down?

Taking a stack down above the roof doesn't normally need planning permission, but it can if the house is in a conservation area such as Walthamstow Village. If you're in one, check with Waltham Forest Council before work starts. Removing the chimney breast inside the house is a separate job: it needs building regulations approval and proper support for anything left above it.

Why is there damp on my chimney breast?

Usually water is getting in at the top or sides of the stack: cracked flaunching, worn pointing or failed lead flashing. On a chimney that has been blocked up, it can also be condensation from a flue with no ventilation. We look at the stack from the roof to find which it is.

How much does chimney work cost?

It depends on the job and how the stack is reached, which is why we look first. You get a clear price before any work starts.

For chimney repairs or removals anywhere in Walthamstow, call 07577 851662 or send us a message through our contact page. More on our main chimney and lead work page, and on roofing in Walthamstow.