Chimney, Brick and Foundation Masonry in Glendale, WI

Chimney Repair, Tuckpointing and Brick Repair in Glendale

Our Glendale work covers chimney repair and rebuilds, tuckpointing and repointing with mortar matched to the original and softer than the brick, brick repair, rusted steel lintel replacement, veneer flashing and weep holes, masonry stoops, steps, walks and retaining walls, and concrete work. For foundation walls and apartment or commercial facades we handle masonry waterproofing and full building restoration. Glendale’s own rules shape the job. The city’s permit sheet requires a building permit for chimney repair or rebuild and for foundation repair, including waterproofing and drain tile, and an HVAC permit for a chimney liner. Its property maintenance code requires exterior walls free of holes that admit rain, foundations and walls kept reasonably weather-tight, chimneys adequately supported and in good repair, and brick and concrete walks kept sound, so open mortar joints are a code question here, not only a cosmetic one.

Chimneys, Lintels and Veneer on Glendale’s Postwar Houses

Houses from Glendale’s 1950s and 1960s building boom are now roughly 55 to 75 years old, and chimneys, which take more severe exposure than ordinary walls, may need repairs sooner, as the Brick Industry Association notes. Brick Industry Association guidance for residential chimneys calls for Grade SW brick, Type N mortar, fireclay mortar at the flue liner joints, base flashing at least 4 inches up the chimney and counter-flashing set into a mortar joint and lapping it by 3 inches; a prefabricated cap generally performs better and is easier to keep watertight than one cast in place. Over windows and doors, the Brick Industry Association suggests considering galvanized steel lintels in harsh climates, since plain steel lintels need periodic maintenance to avoid corrosion, with continuous flashing and weeps above the angle; rust building up on a lintel is one of the signs the association says warrant a professional engineer. Where a house has brick veneer, it depends on at least a 1 inch air space behind the brick and on flashing and weeps at the base, over openings, under sills, at roof lines and where a porch or stoop meets the wall. White bloom that keeps coming back after the first year points to water getting in, and water repellents are generally not recommended on veneer and never replace flashing. Winters add the stress: NOAA readings at Milwaukee Mitchell airport, not Glendale itself, average 74.8 days a winter that cross freezing, in a range of 51 to 94 (winters 2015-16 to 2024-25). When joints need repointing, we match the mortar to the existing wall on evidence, as in our historic mortar and stone matching work.

Foundations, Stoops and When an Engineer Is Needed

Foundation repair in Glendale, including waterproofing and drain tile, needs a building permit, and the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code the city adopts sets footings for foundations, landings and stoops at least 48 inches below grade or below frost, whichever is deeper, which matters when a sunken stoop is rebuilt. A driveway may need a building permit plus a right-of-way permit from Public Works (414-228-1710), and public sidewalk work needs a right-of-way permit. We do not diagnose foundations. The Brick Industry Association says a professional engineer should investigate cracks wider than about 0.075 inch, cracks through several bricks, stepped or diagonal cracks, widespread spalling, rust on lintels or shelf angles, brick out of plane and sills that slope flat or back toward the wall. When we see those signs on a Glendale home, we document them and recommend an engineer’s assessment before any masonry repair.

Serving Glendale as Part of the Milwaukee Area

North Shore Masonry serves Glendale from our Milwaukee operation, and we also serve Shorewood, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Brookfield and Waukesha. Start at our Milwaukee masonry services hub for every service and town we cover.

Talk to a Masonry Contractor About Your Glendale Home

If you are seeing a cracked chimney crown, loose brick or failed flashing at the roof, open mortar joints, rust staining above a window or door, a sunken stoop or white bloom that keeps returning, call us at +1 414-404-9029 or request a free on-site estimate. Chimney repair and foundation repair need a city building permit, and Glendale warns that work started without one can cost up to four times the fee; for tuckpointing, brick repair and other masonry the permit sheet does not list, we confirm permit needs with Building Inspection (414-228-1700) at City Hall, 5909 N Milwaukee River Pkwy, before work starts. Exterior alterations to one- and two-family homes may also need prior approval from the Planning and Architectural Review Commission.

Masonry and Chimney FAQs for Glendale, WI

Does chimney repair need a permit in Glendale?

Yes. Glendale’s residential permit sheet lists a building permit for a new chimney and for chimney repair or rebuild, an HVAC permit for a chimney liner, and an HVAC permit for fireplace work, with other permits possible. The city asks for the permit before work starts. We confirm the exact permits for your chimney with Building Inspection (414-228-1700) before work starts.

Does tuckpointing need a permit in Glendale?

Tuckpointing, brick repair, veneer, pavers and patios are not listed on the city’s permit sheet either way, and general repairs are listed as maybe. That is not the same as permit-exempt, so we confirm permit needs with Building Inspection (414-228-1700) before work starts. Keep in mind that Glendale’s property maintenance code requires walls and foundations to be kept reasonably weather-tight, so mortar that lets rain in is a code issue as well as a looks issue.

Do I need PARC approval for masonry work on my Glendale house?

Possibly. The Planning and Architectural Review Commission reviews exterior design for single-family, two-family and accessory structures, and exterior alterations to one- and two-family homes may need its prior approval. A 2023 draft ordinance would make the commission Glendale’s historic preservation commission, with certificates of appropriateness for exterior work on designated properties. Only two Glendale sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and whether the draft ordinance was adopted or any local designations are in force is something we confirm with the city. We check PARC and permit needs with the city before any exterior masonry work starts.

How deep must a stoop footing go in Glendale?

The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, which Glendale adopts for one- and two-family homes, requires footings for foundations, landings and stoops to sit at least 48 inches below grade or below the frost line, whichever is deeper. When a stoop is rebuilt, the new footing has to meet that rule, and we confirm the requirement and any permit with Building Inspection (414-228-1700) before work starts.

When is a crack in brick a structural problem?

The Brick Industry Association says a professional engineer should investigate cracks wider than about 0.075 inch, cracks through several bricks, stepped or diagonal cracks, widespread spalling, rust building up on steel lintels or shelf angles, brick that has moved out of plane, and sills that slope flat or back toward the wall. We do not diagnose foundations; when we see those signs, we document them and recommend an engineer’s assessment before any masonry repair.

What mortar should be used to repoint a 1950s Glendale house?

Mortar matched to the original and softer than the brick, and no stronger than what is in the wall now. On older brick, our crews repoint with lime-rich mortar and match lost brick with salvaged brick where it is available. The National Park Service describes mortar as the sacrificial part of the wall, meant to wear before the brick does, and the Brick Industry Association points to Type N for modern work and Type O or K for older walls, with lab analysis when the original is unknown. We match color and joint profile as closely as the existing wall allows.