Midvale sits in Salt Lake County with cold winters that drive repeated freeze-thaw cycles through brick chimneys. Older homes in Old Town Midvale and near Bingham Junction TRAX Station often have original brick stacks that have settled unevenly on the valley's clay-heavy soils. Mortar joints open first at the crown and flue edges, letting water reach the flue tile and interior framing. Matching the original brick color and hardness matters because newer softer bricks spall faster in the same exposure.
Repair starts with a top-down inspection that checks for spalled faces, missing mortar, and any lean toward the prevailing wind off the Oquirrh Mountains. We remove failed mortar to sound depth, install stainless-steel ties where the stack has separated from the roof plane, and repoint with type-N mortar formulated for our semi-arid freeze cycles. Flashing is reset or replaced at the roofline so snow melt does not run behind the brick. Homeowners in Murray and West Jordan see the same pattern when their chimneys face west or sit on older foundations.
We never apply surface sealers that trap moisture inside the brick. Instead we rebuild the crown with a solid concrete cap sloped to shed water and install a chimney cap sized for the flue. Every repair is left so the homeowner can walk the roof and see the new mortar lines and metal work before we leave the job.
Salt Lake County requires permits for structural chimney work that exceeds minor tuck-pointing. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection so the finished stack meets current seismic and clearance rules. Skipping this step leaves the next owner with an unpermitted stack that can complicate a sale.
Technician insight
In Midvale the thing that catches most people out with brick chimney repair is how quickly the clay soils under Old Town Midvale homes shift after a wet spring. That movement opens the same mortar joints every few winters, so a quick surface patch never lasts. We always check the foundation tie-in before we leave.
Cracked Crown on a 1920s Stack
A homeowner in Old Town Midvale noticed water stains on the interior brick after heavy spring rain. We found the original crown had cracked and water had reached the flue tile. We rebuilt the crown, repointed the upper third of the stack, and reset the flashing so melt water now sheds clear of the brick.
How it works
- 1
Site Inspection
We examine the full height of the brick stack from roof to foundation, noting mortar condition, brick spalling, and any separation at the roofline.
- 2
Material Match
Original brick color, hardness, and mortar type are matched so the repair blends and performs the same as the surrounding masonry under Midvale winters.
- 3
Mortar Removal and Repoint
Failed joints are cut out to adequate depth, the brick is cleaned, and new mortar is packed and tooled for proper water shedding.
- 4
Crown and Flashing Work
A new concrete crown is formed and flashing is reset or replaced so melt water cannot enter behind the brick.
- 5
Final Check and Permit Close
The stack is inspected for plumb and water tightness, then the county inspection is scheduled if a permit was required.
Pricing
Upfront quotes based on chimney height, extent of brick and mortar damage, and whether a permit is needed.