The Wilmington, DE area is well known in the region for having historic homes and properties. One of the noteworthy houses in the Wilmington area had a chimney that was in disrepair. Time and weather were responsible for the damage, but that could be restored by the right team to restore the chimney structures to remain safe and operational. Because these homes are old enough to have been built by master Masons, the repair would require the same skills and expertise of an equally trained and skilled craftsman in the modern age. The owner contracted Renzi Masonry about the project at hand.
From the Before pictures, it is clear to see the cracking bricks, deteriorating of the grout, and decaying structural components of the chimney that led to their masonry repair contractor search.
Chimney – evident deterioration (before repair)
Paul Renzi was asked to estimate and qualify his expertise with this kind of restoration of masonry. Without hesitation, Renzi Masonry was awarded the contract to repair and restore the residential chimney structure. Well known for his skill on a multitude of materials and methods, Paul and his team of engineers were able to remove the damaged areas and begin recreating the historic look using similar materials to the original structure.
The DuPont Chimney was rebuilt from the firebox up. The repair used a blend of Clinker brick and reclaimed Colonial brick to reform the exterior walls with structural integrity. The Crown was rebuilt with decorative corbel and decorative Soldier Coresink. The work meets all New Castle County fire codes with a 4-hour fire rating. As you can clearly see in the photographs of the finished project below, the DuPont residential chimney was handled by skilled experts who labored to ensure the chimney retains the same look and feel of the original craftsmanship over 100 years ago.
Chimney – expert craftsmanship and engineering results (after repair)
Paul holds the skills of a master mason, who are a dying breed in this modern world of mass-fabricated materials and rapid repairs. It takes significant time to build structures the right way according to Masonry training. Just because it’s old-fashioned, doesn’t mean it’s out-dated. The chimney structure is fully-restored and will stand the test of time, giving it a new life of wood-burning, warm memories for generations to come.
If you have your own masonry needs, Call Renzi Masonry today to get your project planned, estimated, and completed by a true master masonry mechanics, all at a reasonable price that comes with an iron-clad guarantee that lets you rest easy.
Contact us at paul@renzimasonry.com or call 302-478-3166 today!
