Pointing & ChimneyRepairs AcrossBarnsley
Crumbling mortar, cracked flaunching and slipped chimney pots let water straight into the stack and the roof below. I repoint and repair chimneys across South Yorkshire, with a free survey and written quote first.
23 years on the tools · £2m insured · free, no-obligation survey
Repointing and chimney repairs in Barnsley and South Yorkshire
The chimney is one of the hardest-working parts of any roof and one of the most exposed. It stands proud of the roofline, taking the full force of wind and rain from every direction, and it's built from masonry with mortar joints that are constantly expanding and contracting through freeze-thaw cycles. On the stone terraces and Victorian properties common around Barnsley, Sheffield and Penistone, chimneys are often the oldest and most weathered part of the whole roof, and mortar joints that have stood for decades eventually start to crumble and let water in.
I see two broad types of mortar in this area: lime mortar, traditionally used on older stone and soft brick properties, and cement mortar, which became standard from the mid-20th century onwards. The two behave very differently. Lime mortar is flexible and breathable, letting moisture evaporate out of the masonry rather than trapping it, which suits the softer stone and handmade bricks found on older Barnsley properties. Cement mortar is harder and less forgiving; when it's used on a chimney it doesn't suit, it can trap moisture in the brick or stone behind it, and the mortar itself is more prone to cracking under thermal movement than the masonry it's protecting.
Beyond the mortar joints themselves, chimney problems often involve flaunching (the mortar bedding that holds the chimney pots in place at the top of the stack), the pots themselves working loose or cracking, and the flashing where the chimney meets the roof, usually made from lead, which can lift, split or corrode over time. A chimney with failed pointing, cracked flaunching or lifted flashing is one of the most common sources of a leak that shows up as a damp patch on a bedroom ceiling well away from the actual point of entry.
Every job starts with a free, no-obligation survey where I check the mortar joints, flaunching, pots and flashing, followed by a written quote setting out exactly what's needed. I take photos of the chimney's condition before starting and of the finished repointing or repair, so you've got a clear record.
When you might need this
- Mortar joints that are crumbling, cracked or missing between bricks or stones on the stack
- Cracked or crumbling flaunching around the base of the chimney pots
- Chimney pots that are loose, leaning, cracked or missing a cowl
- Damp patches on ceilings or in the loft near the chimney breast
- Lifted, split or corroded lead flashing where the chimney meets the roof
What goes wrong with chimneys and pointing
Because chimneys stand exposed above the rest of the roof, small faults get worse quickly once water starts finding its way through failed mortar or flashing.
Water tracking down inside the chimney breast
Once mortar joints fail or flaunching cracks, rainwater gets into the stack itself and tracks down through the brickwork or stone, often appearing as a damp patch on a bedroom ceiling or chimney breast wall well below roof level, sometimes months after the pointing first failed.
Frost damage widening cracks each winter
Water that gets into a cracked mortar joint or flaunching freezes in cold weather and expands, widening the crack. Each freeze-thaw cycle through a South Yorkshire winter makes the damage worse, which is why chimney pointing that looks like a minor cosmetic issue in autumn can be a serious structural concern by spring.
Loose or falling chimney pots
Flaunching holds the pots in place at the top of the stack. Once it cracks or crumbles, pots can work loose, lean, or in the worst cases fall, which is a safety risk to anyone below as well as an open route for water straight down the flue.
Failed flashing letting water into the roof structure
The lead flashing around the base of a chimney is what seals the join between the masonry and the roof covering. If it lifts, splits or corrodes, water gets straight into the roof timbers at one of the most vulnerable junctions on the whole roof, often before any sign shows up on the chimney itself.
Common mistakes I see
- Repointing with cement mortar on an older lime-mortar chimney, which traps moisture in the masonry and accelerates decay
- Patching visible cracks with sealant instead of raking out and repointing the joint properly
- Ignoring a leaning or cracked pot because it's not obviously dangerous yet, until it becomes a falling hazard
- Replacing flashing with a cheap alternative instead of lead, which doesn't move and seal with the roof in the same way and fails again sooner
How I work
My process, step by step
- 1
Free survey and assessment
I inspect the chimney stack, mortar joints, flaunching, pots and flashing, usually from a ladder or tower depending on the roof, checking for cracking, movement and signs of water ingress. This is free and comes with no obligation.
- 2
Written quote
You get a written quote covering exactly what's needed, whether that's repointing sections of the stack, renewing flaunching, replacing pots, or repairing flashing, so you know the scope before work starts.
- 3
Raking out old mortar
Failed or loose mortar is raked out of the joints to a suitable depth, and any loose or damaged bricks or stones are assessed and replaced where needed, so the new pointing has a sound base to bond to.
- 4
Repointing and flaunching
Joints are repointed using a mortar mix suited to the existing masonry, lime-based for older stone and soft brick, or cement-based where that's appropriate. Flaunching around the pots is renewed if cracked, and pots are reset securely.
- 5
Flashing check and photo report
I check the lead flashing at the base of the stack and repair or renew it if it's lifted or split, then clear the area and send a photo report of the finished chimney alongside the original survey photos.
What you get
Stops water ingress at the source
Repointing and repairing flaunching or flashing seals the chimney against the wind and rain it's most exposed to, cutting off the source of damp patches appearing on ceilings and chimney breasts.
Removes a falling-pot safety risk
Resetting loose or leaning pots into sound flaunching removes a real hazard for anyone below the chimney, as well as sealing off an open route for water down the flue.
Mortar matched to the masonry
Using the right mortar for the material, lime for older stone and soft brick, cement where the property suits it, means the pointing moves and breathes with the masonry rather than cracking under it, which extends how long the repair lasts.
Prevents costlier structural repairs later
Repointing now, while the joints are cracked but the brickwork or stone behind them is sound, is far cheaper and simpler than rebuilding sections of the stack once frost damage and water ingress have gone unaddressed for several winters.
One experienced person on the job
With 23 years in the trade, I carry out the survey, quote and repair work myself as a sole trader, so the same person who inspects the chimney is the one repointing it.
Guarantee and full insurance cover
Chimney repair work is guaranteed for 12 months, and I hold £2 million public liability insurance, so you're covered throughout.
Lime vs cement mortar, flaunching and flashing explained
Chimney work looks like simple pointing from a distance but the choice of mortar, condition of the flaunching, and state of the flashing all affect how long a repair lasts.
Lime mortar on older stone and brick
Many stone-built properties around Elsecar, Penistone and the older parts of Barnsley were originally pointed in lime mortar, which is softer and more porous than cement and allows moisture that gets into the wall to evaporate back out again rather than becoming trapped. Lime also has some flexibility, moving slightly with the masonry through seasonal temperature changes rather than cracking rigidly against it.
Repointing these properties in lime rather than cement matters because cement is harder than the stone or old handmade brick it's applied to. When cement mortar cracks under movement, water gets in and, because it can't evaporate back out through the cement, it stays in the masonry behind it, causing the stone or brick face to spall and break down over time, which is a much bigger repair than repointing.
Cement mortar on modern chimneys
Chimneys on 1930s semis and later properties across Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster were generally built with cement mortar from the outset, using denser modern bricks that can cope with it. Repointing these with a cement-based mix that matches the original is the right approach and gives a durable, weather-resistant joint.
The key with cement mortar is getting the mix and the raking-out depth right. Joints raked out too shallow don't have enough new mortar behind the pointing to bond properly, and it can blow out again within a couple of winters. I rake to a sensible depth and repoint properly rather than skimming over the surface.
Flaunching and chimney pots
Flaunching is the sloped mortar bed at the top of the stack that holds the pots upright and sheds rainwater away from the brickwork rather than letting it pool around the base of the pots. It's exposed to more weathering than almost any other part of the roof, and once it cracks, water gets straight down into the flue lining and the stack itself.
When I renew flaunching, I make sure it's angled to shed water properly and that each pot is bedded securely before the mortar goes off. A wobbly pot on failing flaunching is both a leak risk and, in strong wind, a real hazard to anything or anyone below.
Lead flashing at the chimney base
The flashing where the chimney meets the roof slope is usually lead, dressed into the mortar joints of the stack and lapped over the roof covering below. It's a junction that has to cope with movement between two different materials, and over years of weathering, lead can lift at the top edge, split at folds, or corrode where it's been in contact with certain roofing materials.
A chimney can be perfectly sound with good pointing and flaunching and still leak badly if the flashing has failed, because it's a completely separate part of the waterproofing. I check flashing condition as standard during a chimney survey, since a leak that looks like a chimney problem sometimes turns out to be a flashing problem, and the fix is different.
Pointing & Chimneys: questions answered
How much does repointing a chimney cost?
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It depends on the height and condition of the stack, how much of the pointing has failed, whether flaunching or pots need renewing too, and access requirements such as scaffolding. I don't quote over the phone; I come out for a free, no-obligation survey and give you a written quote based on what your chimney actually needs.
How long does chimney repointing take?
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A single stack with straightforward access can often be repointed within a day or two, depending on the extent of the work. Where flaunching, pots or flashing also need attention, or scaffolding is required, it takes longer. I'll give you a realistic timescale in the written quote.
Should I use lime or cement mortar on my chimney?
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It depends on the age and material of the property. Older stone or soft-brick chimneys, common around Barnsley and Penistone, generally need lime mortar so moisture can evaporate out rather than being trapped. Chimneys built more recently in dense modern brick are usually fine with a cement-based mix matching the original. I assess this during the survey rather than applying one mortar to every job.
Is chimney repair work guaranteed?
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Yes, repair work including repointing, flaunching and flashing repairs is guaranteed for 12 months. I'm also fully insured with £2 million public liability cover.
How long does repointing last?
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Properly done, with the right mortar mix for the masonry and adequate raking-out depth, repointing lasts many years, though exposed stacks facing the prevailing weather will need attention again sooner than sheltered ones. Regular checks catch early cracking before it becomes a leak.
Do you take emergency calls for chimney problems?
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Yes, I take calls between 7:30am and 8pm, seven days a week, including urgent issues like a loose pot or sudden leak around the chimney. Get in touch as soon as you notice a problem so it can be assessed quickly.
Can you help if my chimney needs planning permission work?
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If a chimney project needs planning consent, for example on a listed building or in a conservation area, I can help with the application if required.
What areas do you cover for chimney and pointing work?
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I work across Barnsley, Elsecar, Hoyland, Wombwell, Wentworth, Tankersley, Blacker Hill, Harley and West Melton, and further afield including Sheffield and Leeds, on everything from stone terraces to modern chimneys.
Get a free chimney and pointing survey
If your chimney has crumbling mortar, cracked flaunching or a leak you can't place, get in touch for a free, no-obligation survey and a written quote. I cover Barnsley, Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire area.
25-year re-roof guarantee · 12-month repair guarantee · £2m insured