What is waterproofing?

Bricks and mortar are porous materials and act similarly to sponges. In times of heavy and steady rains, chimneys can fill up with water that can seep into the house. This can cause structural damage to the chimney itself, or to the house. It can also lead to mold problems.

We have found that chimneys will often still leak after being properly repaired, or even after a rain cap has been installed, and this is because waterproofing has not been done.

In 1996, Oregon experienced what is known as the Willamette Valley Flood of 1996. Due to heavy rains and sudden snowmelt, the Willamette River flooded and significant damage was caused to homes particularly in Oregon City, SW Portland and NW Portland past the Steel Bridge. It was after that in 1996 when Oregon Chimney Repair & Cleaning started using a product called Siloxane to water-seal bricks and mortar. It is a product that provides a long-lasting invisible coat to bricks and other masonry surfaces. It is applied by spraying or brushing it on until the brick and mortar start to repel the product. Siloxane allows the brick to breathe without letting water in.

The product we use has a 10-year guarantee. From our experience in using this product we have found this to be the case.