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Gas fireplace serviceLevel 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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AfterSpalling Brick Repair in San Antonio, TX
Spalling brick repair in San Antonio typically costs between $450 and $1,800 depending on how many bricks have failed and where they sit on the chimney. Most repairs take one day, and we complete the work the same week you call. If you’re seeing brick faces pop off and crumble onto your roof or yard, that’s spalling, and it won’t stop on its own. Call us at (903) 515-5079 for a written quote before any work begins.
Spalling is what happens when moisture gets inside the brick, freezes or expands under the Texas sun, and forces the outer face to crack away in flakes or chunks. San Antonio’s freeze-thaw cycles aren’t as brutal as up north, but our humidity plus occasional hard freezes means chimneys here see real spalling damage every year. Once a brick loses its fired face, the softer inner clay absorbs water even faster, which accelerates the damage. This is a structural issue, not a cosmetic one, and it’s part of the broader Chimney Repair work we handle across Bexar County. Alcott Chimney San Antonio, led by Ruben Castellano, has repaired spalled chimneys throughout San Antonio since 2002.
What makes our approach different is how we treat the person who opens the door. You’ll know the technician’s name and see their photo before we arrive. Every Alcott tech is background-checked and identity-verified under the Threshold Standard before stepping foot on your property, and they’ll show a photo ID badge at the door. No exceptions, every time. That matters when you’re hiring someone to climb onto your roof and work on your chimney.
When You Need Spalling Brick Repair
Spalling doesn’t announce itself loudly at first. Here are the signs San Antonio homeowners call us about most often:
- Brick faces on the ground or in the gutter. After a storm or windy day, you find thin reddish flakes or chunks of brick around the base of the chimney. That’s the fired face separating, and the brick behind it is now exposed.
- Visible recesses or pitted surfaces on the chimney. The brick looks like it’s been eaten away in patches. In neighborhoods like Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills, where chimneys are prominent architectural features, this weathering shows up clearly on south-facing and west-facing walls.
- Crumbling mortar joints alongside deteriorating brick. Brick that’s spalling often has failed mortar next to it. The two problems feed each other, because water gets in through cracked joints and then damages the brick.
- Water staining inside the home near the fireplace. Spalled brick lets water penetrate deeper into the chimney structure, which can show up as damp drywall or peeling paint on walls adjacent to the chimney.
- Loose or wobbly bricks near the chimney crown. The top courses of brick take the worst of the weather. If the bricks around the crown are spalled, the crown itself is almost always compromised too.
- White chalky residue on the brick surface. That’s efflorescence, the mineral salts left behind when water evaporates out of the brick. It tells you moisture is moving through the masonry, and spalling is the next step.
In San Antonio’s older neighborhoods like Monte Vista, Olmos Park, and King William, we regularly see chimneys from the 1920s through the 1960s where the original brick was never sealed or has outlived decades of weather exposure. Those chimneys are at the highest risk. But we also see spalling on much newer builds in Stone Oak and Alamo Ranch, usually from improper flashing or a cracked crown that let water in from the start.
Our Spalling Brick Repair Process
Here’s exactly how we handle a spalling chimney repair in San Antonio, step by step. You’ll get this same breakdown on your written quote.
- Inspection and damage mapping. We examine the entire chimney, not just the visible spalled area. That means the crown, the flashing where the chimney meets the roof, the mortar joints, and the brick faces on all four sides. We document every failed brick and every contributing issue, because repairing bricks without fixing the water entry point means you’ll be calling us again in a few years.
- Written price before any work starts. You’ll receive a line-item quote showing exactly which bricks get replaced, what materials we’ll use, and what the labor costs. This is a non-negotiable inclusion at Alcott, never an upsell. You approve the number before we touch a single brick.
- Brick removal and surface prep. We carefully cut out the spalled bricks and any surrounding mortar that has failed. On chimneys, this is delicate work, because rough removal can crack the bricks next to them. We use the right blades and hand tools for the job.
- Brick matching and replacement. We source replacement bricks that match the color, texture, and size of your existing chimney as closely as possible. For older San Antonio homes, that sometimes means sourcing from architectural salvage suppliers. We’ll never stick in a bright orange box-store brick next to your 1930s salmon-colored originals.
- Repointing and sealing. New mortar is matched to the existing joint color and tooled to match the original profile. Then we address the water issue that caused the spalling in the first place, whether that’s replacing a chimney crown, repairing flashing, or applying a professional-grade breathable sealant.
- Final inspection and documentation. We walk you through everything we did, show you the finished work, and give you your written guarantee. You’ll have our number and know exactly what’s covered and for how long.
Spalling Brick Repair Pricing in San Antonio
You should know the numbers before you decide anything. Here’s what spalling brick repair costs in the San Antonio market, based on what we’ve seen across Bexar County in recent years.
| Repair Scope | Typical Cost Range | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 spalled brick faces, repointing included | $450 – $900 | Brick removal, replacement, mortar matching, minor cleanup |
| 6-15 spalled bricks, one chimney side | $800 – $1,400 | Full side repair, repointing adjacent joints |
| Full chimney spalling repair (all sides) | $1,400 – $2,800 | Complete brick replacement, repointing, crown assessment |
| Chimney crown repair or replacement | $350 – $1,100 | Required in most spalling jobs to stop water entry |
| Flashing repair or replacement | $250 – $650 | Seals the roofline joint where water gets in |
What affects your final number: how many bricks are spalled, how high the damage sits on the chimney, whether scaffolding is needed for second-story work, and whether the crown or flashing also needs repair. If your chimney is on a steep roof in the Hill Country outskirts, that changes access costs. A straightforward single-side repair on a one-story roof in Alamo Heights will land near the bottom of the range. A full four-side job on a two-story chimney in Stone Oak will land higher.
Free estimates in San Antonio. Call (903) 515-5079 and we’ll give you a written price. When Ruben Castellano quotes a number, that’s the number you’ll see on your invoice. There is no such thing as a surprise charge at the end of an Alcott job.
Can You Fix Spalled Brick the Same Day?
Yes, most small-to-medium spalling repairs are completed the same day we start. A repair involving 3 to 10 bricks typically takes 4 to 6 hours on site. Larger full-side or full-chimney jobs may take two days, and we’ll give you an exact timeline on your written quote. If you need it done before a specific date, tell us when you call, and we’ll work with your schedule.
What Materials Does Alcott Use?
We work with professional-grade trade materials, the same brands chimney professionals specify across Texas. For spalling brick repair and the related chimney work, that includes Copperfield components for crowns and caps, and Famco products for cap and chase applications. When the repair also involves the flue or liner, we use DuraFlex and HeatShield systems. We don’t use box-store substitutes, because we guarantee the repair in writing for a full year, and we only guarantee products we trust.
FAQs – Spalling Brick Repair
How much does spalling brick repair cost in San Antonio?
Spalling brick repair in San Antonio typically costs between $450 and $1,800, with most single-side repairs landing between $800 and $1,400. The main cost drivers are how many bricks have failed, the height of the chimney, and whether the chimney crown or flashing also needs work. Call (903) 515-5079 for an exact written quote, it’s free and there is no obligation.
Is spalling brick repair covered by homeowners insurance?
Homeowners insurance usually does not cover spalling brick repair, because it’s classified as normal wear and tear rather than sudden damage from a covered event like a storm or fire. If a specific event caused the damage, such as a lightning strike or falling tree limb, discuss it with your adjuster. We can provide detailed written documentation of the damage to support any claim you file.
Can you match the brick color on an older San Antonio chimney?
Yes, we match replacement bricks as closely as possible to your existing chimney’s color, texture, and size. For historic homes in neighborhoods like Monte Vista and King William, we source from architectural salvage suppliers when standard brick yards don’t carry a compatible match. We’ll never install a brick that sticks out visually from the rest of your chimney.
How long will the spalling repair last?
A properly executed spalling brick repair, where the water entry point is also fixed, typically lasts 20 to 30 years or more. That’s why every Alcott repair includes the repairs to the crown, flashing, or sealing that allowed water to get into the brick in the first place. Our written 365-day Done Right Promise covers every repair, and if the repair fails within the coverage period, the return visit is free.
Do I need a chimney inspection before spalling repair?
We always inspect the full chimney as part of any spalling repair quote. That inspection is included free, and it tells us whether the damage is confined to the exterior brick or extends deeper into the flue system. If it does, we’ll show you exactly what we found, with photos, and give you a separate written price for any additional work. You approve everything before we proceed.
Get Your Free Spalling Brick Repair Estimate in San Antonio
The first step is a call to (903) 515-5079. A live person answers, around the clock, every single time. No voicemail, no callback queue. We’ll schedule a time that works for you, send you the name and photo of your technician before the visit, and show up with a written quote for the full repair. Alcott Chimney San Antonio has served homeowners across Bexar County since 2002, and every technician who steps onto your property is background-checked and identity-verified under the Threshold Standard. That’s the certainty you get when you choose Alcott.
Browse our home page to learn more about how we work, or see the full scope of our Chimney Repair in San Antonio services.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner at Alcott Chimney San Antonio, serving San Antonio.