Category Archives: Chimney Repair

22 Aug

Wilkens is Family Owned and Operated Since 1977

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The Beginning of Wilkens Masonry

Since the beginning, Wilkens Masonry has strived to be a company the people of Toronto, Hamilton and the surrounding areas can rely on. We have always been family owned and operated and have a vision for the future which includes the expansion of our quality services into more regions of Southwestern Ontario.

Family Owned and Operated

Our owner, Ernie Wilkens, has worked hard over the past decades to build a company his children could be proud to be a part of. Olivia Wilkens, Ernie’s daughter, is the office manager and oversees all administrative parts of Wilkens. Richard Harris, Ernie’s nephew, is our lead estimator. Jake Wilkens, Ernie’s son, is our head mason. The rest of our team, while not bearing our last name, is very much a part of the family!

What Can Wilkens Masonry Do For You

Wilkens Masonry is your one stop shop for chimney rebuild and restoration, fireplace restoration, tuckpointing or repointing and all forms of brick repair and restoration. We serve the Greater Toronto Area as well as Hamilton and Burlington.

We are fully insured, our estimates are free and we can work closely with you or a hired general contractor to make sure that our quote will fit in with any blueprints or plans that may exist.

Wilkens Masonry Is Now In Hamilton

Wilkens Masonry has officially set up shop in Hamilton, Ontario! We have been serving Toronto for 45 years and are excited to be in a new city where we can build our reputation as a full-service masonry restoration company. Get in touch for a free estimate to discuss your repointing, tuckpointing, parging, brick repair and chimney repair.

We are fully insured, our estimates are free and we can work closely with you or a hired general contractor to make sure that our quote will fit in with any blueprints or plans that may exist.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

Sep

Why Your Chimney Should Be Domed

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What Is A Chimney Dome?

A chimney dome is a relatively easy and generally inexpensive way to ensure proper water runoff on the top of your chimney. It is comprised of masonry cement and an adhesive admixture (glue) that increases the bond between the dome and the chimney top or crown.

Why Dome Your Chimney?

By adding a slope of masonry cement around your flue tile and chimney liner, you prevent water from sitting on the crown. In the late fall and early spring months, when water freezes at night and thaws in the day time, water stuck on top of your chimney can cause erosion and even form cracks. Also, the added cement secures the individual parts of the crown.

How Often Do You Need To Dome Your Chimney?

There is no set duration that a dome will last. It all depends on the individual chimney’s exposure to weather, as well as the health of the rest of the chimney. Chimney’s should be inspected every so often in order to get ahead of any further damage that may be caused by improper water runoff.

Why You Should Hire A Mason To Dome Your Chimney

Repairing the crown of your chimney can be a relatively quick job, but should be handled by someone properly trained in working at heights. Many chimneys can be difficult to access and require scaffold, taller than average ladders and proper harnesses to be worked on. Beyond that, you want an expert who knows the proper repair techniques for each specific job, each individual chimney requires it’s own custom dome.

How Do I Know If My Chimney Needs To Be Domed?

While most home owners have no easy access to the tops of their chimneys, you may be able to tell from the ground if your chimney needs to be properly domed. Water leaking into your fireplace can be a sign that repair is needed. Check your fireplace for water during heavy rain.

Get Your Toronto Chimney Repaired

Call Wilkens Masonry at 416 425 8055 or request a free estimate online. We will respond right away and have someone evaluate your masonry needs with a no obligation quote. Family owned & operated for over 40 years, we are proud to be one of Toronto’s oldest masonry companies.

Jul

Why should I check my chimney in Toronto?

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Why should I check my chimney in Toronto?

Your chimney provides protection against fire hazards, and the firebox has the same function. With regular chimney inspections and proper maintenance, you are helping to prevent a dangerous fire and avoiding repairs much more expensive than the cost of preventative measures. For chimney restorations, upgrades, and inspections, call Wilkens Contracting today! If you have been asking why you should get your chimney checked in your home in Toronto, then this article is for you!

Keeps your home and family safe

There is nothing more important than keeping your home and family safe while enjoying the fireplace or wood stove in the cooler months. Your chimney is an important ventilation system that allows smoke, toxins and dangerous fumes to escape the home. A clean chimney means a safer, more efficient fireplace and home heating appliance.

More efficient home heating

Also, your fireplace efficiency decreases when additional creosote is deposited in the chimney. The additional circulation of cooler air reduces energy efficiency requiring you to burn more wood and other fossil fuels, more often to stay warm. Also, small birds, rodents and insects can clog the flue preventing the escape of toxic fumes. And since the toxic fumes have difficulty escaping a clogged chimney, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, AKA the silent killer also increases.

Prevent unforeseen chimney repairs

A wood-burning fireplace can reach temperatures of 1100°F or more. This creates ash, bits of wood, soot and other particles that are by-products of the combustion process that can cover the flue liner, smoke shelf, damper and masonry with dirt, grime and contaminants. Professional chimney cleaning helps to reduce wear and tear on these components so you can prevent costly chimney repairs from having to replace them prematurely.

So, why should you have the chimney checked in your Toronto home? The answers are written in stone, or should we say brick! For chimneys and brick restoration, repair, or upgrading, contact Wilkens Contracting today! Click here to find our contact information or to speak with a representative.

May

New Chimneys In Toronto

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New Chimneys In Toronto

The use of chimneys dates back to the 11th and 12th century Europe, and since then, have become a staple to any home with a fireplace. They play an essential role in releasing smoke and toxins into the air, instead of the house, and help to keep the fireplace functioning correctly. If you have been using your fireplace extensively this past winter, and are looking to repair, build new chimneys for your Toronto home, then we here at Wilkens Contracting can help. To learn more about our chimney services, please continue to read through this article before giving us a call today!

Canadian Climate

With the harsh Canadian winters behind us for another year, now is the time to check the state of your chimney and enlist the help of professionals to ensure its integrity. As chimneys are open to environmental damage 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, making sure your chimney is structurally sound, and in a good enough state to use, is essential to the safety of your home. If your chimney is in poor condition, and you fear for the protection of your home, then we can help repair or build you a new one!

Safety First

When it comes to cleaning and maintaining, or repairing and rebuilding chimneys, safety should be the primary concern of all involved. Producing a pleasing aesthetic is an integral part of what we do, but when it comes to the safety and proper functioning of a chimney, this is always first and foremost in our minds.

Poorly maintained chimneys that are used can lead to fires that burn up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. An estimated 25,000 chimney fires happened in America in one year, resulting in an accumulated $120 million in damage. Therefore, making sure your chimney is in good working order before using it, is essential. If you notice that your chimney is in ill repair, and you would like to use it, then please enlist the help of professionals, like us here at Wilkens Contracting, to make sure it is up to the job!

Contact Us

This is the perfect season to check the state, and safety, of your chimney, and enlist the help of our professional team at Wilkens Contracting to build your new chimneys in Toronto!

Please click here to find our contact information online, and let us know how we can help you attain a beautiful and functioning chimney that you can safely enjoy for many years to come.

Dec

Quality Chimney Repair in My Area

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Quality Chimney Repair In My Area

With the onset of winter, Toronto homes are turning to their fireplaces and heating systems to stay warm this season. Have you noticed the state of your chimney leaves something to be desired? Are you unable to use it this winter as it has fallen into disrepair? Wilkens Contracting offers quality chimney repair to the Toronto area, and beyond, to help those who need to keep warm this winter!

Continue to read through this article to learn how our masonry company can help you this season.

Expert Knowledge

Wilkens Contracting has been servicing Toronto since our establishment in 1977. We are a fully licensed and insured family based company that aims to treat every client as if they were part of the family! All work is performed by our own team, thoroughly trained and wholly qualified to take on any masonry job you may need help completing.

When you hire our company, for all of your masonry needs, you will obtain friendly and professional help, that will be able to extend the life of your chimney for many more decades to come. Whatever you may need; tuck pointing, replacing flue tiles, re-cementing chimney crowns, brick restoration, and more, our expert team has you covered.

Don’t just take our word for it, check out our testimonials to hear from our previously satisfied clients.

No Pressure

Unfortunately, chimney repair fraud is a very real thing. It is essential to understand this before contracting someone or some company to do the work for you. Some will attempt to frighten you into hiring them, using terms like carbon monoxide poisoning or house fires to pressure you into making a quick decision.

If you feel as if you are being pushed or harassed into making a decision, then make the decision to push them out the door and look for someone else. With Wilkens Contracting, we will communicate with you openly and honestly about what your chimney or masonry repair would need, how much it would cost, and how long it would take.

Free Estimate

We offer a free masonry estimate to all of our potential clients as a way to show our sincerity at transparency. Just provide us with your contact information and what you are looking to have repaired or replaced on your chimney, and we will get back to you in a timely manner.

Contact us online or visit our facility in person to get your repairs and builds underway with Wilkens Contracting today!

Nov

New Chimney in Toronto

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New Chimney in Toronto with Wilkens Contracting

Chimneys serve multiple functions within a structure- they provide a passageway for the smoke to escape, assist with the buildings heating process, add aesthetic to the structure as a whole and have been an asset to our homes for centuries. If you are in need of a new chimney in the Toronto area, look to us here at Wilkens Contracting to receive the best care on the market!

Causes of Deterioration

Toronto chimneys fall into disrepair due to two main reasons: the elements and the exhaust of the heating system. With Canadian winter coming on quickly, you should look to the integrity of your chimney now more than ever. The wear and tear from our weather, combined with the required heating to ward off such weather, Toronto chimneys see a lot of use during the colder seasons.

When the warm exhaust of the furnace or boiler coincides with the cold air from outside, condensation collects along the exposed chimney and the base of the roof. This ongoing moisture deteriorates the brick causing crumbling or spalling of the material. If left too long, the stack can begin to rot, making it essential to repair or rebuild to continue to serve its purpose adequately.

Chimneys mainly need repair on the outside of the home, atop the roof, as that is where they are vulnerable to the elements. Wilkens Contracting understands this type of elemental damage in the Toronto area and can provide you with a new chimney that can withstand the region’s harsh weather.

Corbel Conundrum

Many people hold to the belief that the design of the top part of your chimney is to blame for the deterioration of the entity as a whole. That older designs of chimneys cannot withstand modern heating and should be substituted with concrete caps as a means to offset the damage caused. This is simply not true.

Companies push the use of precast concrete caps, a product produced after the 1950s. Wilkens Contracting understands that many Toronto homes were built before the 1950s, and as such, should receive chimney care and products that match the time period and design of the structure. Here at Wilken Contracting, we believe that placing a corbel top on your new chimney will keep the historical integrity of your Toronto home while still serving the function they were initially designed for, without compromising the effectiveness and performance of the overall chimney.

Next time you are in an older part of the Toronto area, take a look at the chimneys and notice the use of the corbel designs! With decades of experience in the Toronto area, Wilkens Contracting knows what materials and designs are needed in the case of a new chimney or chimney repairs.

04 Oct

Chimney Repairs at Wilkens Contracting

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Chimney Repairs at Wilkens Contracting

As the autumn months give way to winter, our chimneys and fireplaces will begin to see extra use. Don’t be caught out by your broken chimney this season, enlist the help of Wilkens Contracting for all of your chimney repairs and rebuilds before its too late!

Read on to learn how Wilkens Contracting can help you and your chimney this winter!

Repairs

Keeping the masonry of your chimney in good repair is vital to the overall integrity of your structure. A chimney should be able to last fifty years or more when it is correctly maintained. This includes regular cleaning of the fireplace flues and checkups of the chimney masonry.

If you notice that your chimney is spalling, breaking apart and crumbling, or the mortar is cracking, then contact Wilkens Contracting to get your chimney repairs underway. We can repair crumbling brick, disintegrating mortar joints, rusted dampers (located in the throat of the chimney), and more!

Rebuilds

Sometimes the chimney is too far gone for repairs and is not structurally sound enough to be considered safe. If your chimney is leaning to the side, or showing signs of significant brick deterioration, with large gaps of mortar missing, then a rebuild is in your best interest.

Our masons have access to an extensive collection of old and antique bricks so Wilkens Contracting will do our best to match our materials to the ones of your home. We also colour match the mortar so your repairs and rebuilds will blend in with the rest of your home, making an aesthetically pleasing alteration.

Elemental Exposure

Having worked in Canada for the whole of our existence, since our establishment in 1977, we understand the volatile weather conditions of this beautiful country. Chimneys are freestanding structures that are completely exposed to the elements at any given time.

This constant exposure can wreak havoc on your chimney’s structural integrity and should, therefore, be checked seasonally for damages. If you find you are in need of chimney repairs before this region’s harsh winters hit, now is the time to get in contact with Wilkens Contracting.

One of the top masonry repair facilitators in the Greater Toronto area, Wilkens Contracting can complete all of your chimney repairs, builds, or rebuilds. Fill out our free estimate form, and one of our knowledgeable and friendly employees will get in contact with you right away!

Jul

Chimney Repair Toronto

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Chimney Repair Toronto

If you need a chimney repair in Toronto, call Wilkens Contracting Inc. Our team is made up of well experienced masons who can efficiently and safely handle the repair of your chimney. A well maintained chimney will last for years, but one that is crumbling or is otherwise unsafe puts you at risk of fires and other property damage. If the chimney needs pointing or other repairs we can get that done and extend the life of the existing structure. In this article by Wilkens Contracting Inc. we will talk about what some of the signs are that indicate that you need chimney repair on your home in Toronto. Read on for more information.

*Before*

What are the signs that your chimney needs repairs?

The first step in getting your chimney back in shape is being able to detect when there is a problem. Here are a few things to look out for:

Crumbling Brick or Mortar Joints:

If the mortar that joins the bricks together or the bricks themselves are starting to crumble, it’s time to give us a call. Brick has a long lifespan, but still needs some repairs now and then.

Rusted damper:

The damper is the mechanism that allows you to open and close the chimney above the fireplace If it starts to rust it is probably as simple as your chimney needing to be re-crowned or it may lack a chimney cap.

Full chimney replacement:

If you have an older house, the chimney may be too far gone to be repaired and thus may need to be re-built. This will be apparent if your chimney is leaning or showing signs of major brick deterioration and/or large voids between the bricks. another symptom is that the chimney is leaning or the sides of the structure are “swelling”. We do our best to find bricks that match your original ones, including antiques. We colour match the mortar and also finish the top of your chimney to replicate the period design.

*After*

Our goal is to provide homeowners with high quality chimney repairs for prices they can afford. Our rates are highly competitive, and we are constantly working to improve on our already excellent customer care. By trusting the professionals at Wilkens Contracting Inc. to take care of any repairs, your chimney can continue to work as it should well into the future. Click here to find our contact information and to request a quote.

22

Aug