Old fireplace

Question

We have a 101 year old brick fireplace that we do not burn in. The mortar has turned sandy in spots and allowed in water which made a nice home for carpenter ants which ate the surrounding woodwork. We are novice at home repair and I need advice on how to deflect the water around the chimney and stabilize the masonry before we replace the drywall over and area surrounding it.

Answer

Unfortunately, I would have to physically look at the chimney to give you recommendations on this situation.

I CAN, however, point you to the right people to talk to.

I recommend you contact a local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to do some on-site diagnosis of your problem.

You can find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep at www.csia.org.