What I Found
The chimney was a full masonry structure, probably original to the house. Three stories tall if you count the basement, with the firebox in the living room and the flue running up through the second floor.
At the roofline, the chimney had separated from the house by about 2.5 inches. The gap was roughly triangular, widest at the top and tapering to nearly closed at the ground level. Classic rotation pattern.
Someone had stuffed spray foam insulation into the gap at some point. Recent, based on the color. That was covering up the problem, not fixing it.
The Interior Evidence
Inside, the clues were there too. Diagonal cracks in the drywall near the fireplace, radiating up toward the ceiling. The mantel was slightly crooked. I didn't notice at first, but once you saw it, you couldn't unsee it.
The fireplace damper was stuck. When I asked the sellers, they said it had been stuck for years. They just didn't use the fireplace anymore.
Stuck damper, crooked mantel, cracks in the wall. The chimney was moving, and it was taking the interior finishes with it.
The Flashing Problem
Where the chimney met the roof, the flashing had completely failed. The metal was still there, but it wasn't sealed to anything. The gap between chimney and roof shingles was open to the weather.
Water stains on the ceiling of the second-floor bedroom told the rest of the story. The sellers had painted over them, but you could still see the ghosts of old stains under the fresh paint.
Water had been getting in for years. Which made me wonder about the condition of the framing near the chimney. More on that later.
Why Chimneys Separate
Masonry chimneys are heavy. Incredibly heavy. A typical two-story brick chimney weighs 6,000 to 8,000 pounds. All that weight sits on a concrete footing in the ground.
The problem is that the chimney footing is usually separate from the house foundation. They're different structures, built at the same time but not connected.
Different Foundations, Different Settlement
The house foundation spreads the building's weight across a large area. The chimney footing is much smaller, often only slightly larger than the chimney's footprint.
That means the chimney exerts more pounds per square foot on the soil than the house does. If the soil is at all compressible, the chimney sinks faster.
The house in my inspection sat on clay soil. Clay is notorious for this. It compresses under load, and it shrinks and swells with moisture changes. Both behaviors accelerate differential settlement.
The Rotation Effect
Chimneys don't usually drop straight down. They rotate. The footing tilts, typically away from the house, and the chimney leans with it.
That's why the gap is widest at the top. The chimney is pivoting around a point near the ground. The farther up you go, the more the displacement increases.
In extreme cases, chimneys can actually separate completely and fall. I've seen photos. It's not pretty. The Kowalskis' chimney wasn't there yet, but the trajectory was clear.
Water Makes It Worse
Once a gap opens, water gets in. Water accelerates soil problems around the footing. Water damages the wood framing near the chimney. Water erodes the mortar between bricks.
It's a feedback loop. Settlement creates gaps. Gaps let in water. Water causes more settlement and damage. The problem accelerates over time.
Breaking the News
I try not to alarm people during inspections. My job is to inform, not to scare. But this was a significant finding that needed clear communication.
"The chimney has separated from the house," I told Mark and Jennifer. "This is a structural issue that requires professional repair. The gap is allowing water intrusion, and the chimney is likely to continue moving if the foundation isn't stabilized."
Jennifer put her hand on her belly. They'd made plans for this house. Nursery in the second bedroom. Cookouts in the backyard. Family Christmases by the fireplace.
"Can it be fixed?" Mark asked.
Yes, it could be fixed. But it wouldn't be cheap.
The Repair Options
I don't give repair estimates during inspections. That's not my role, and contractors need to see the specific situation to quote accurately. But I could explain the general approaches.
Helical Pier Stabilization
The most common solution for chimney separation is helical piers. These are steel shafts that screw into the ground beside the chimney footing, going down until they reach stable soil or bedrock.
Once in place, brackets attach the piers to the footing. The chimney's weight transfers to the piers, stopping further settlement. In some cases, the piers can lift the chimney back toward level, though not always.
Typical cost for chimney pier work: $8,000-15,000 depending on how many piers are needed and how deep they have to go.
Chimney Reconstruction
If the chimney is too damaged or unstable, complete reconstruction may be needed. The old chimney is removed, the footing is repaired or replaced with proper sizing, and a new chimney is built.
This is the expensive option. Full chimney reconstruction can run $15,000-40,000 depending on height, materials, and complexity.
In really bad cases, homeowners sometimes just remove the chimney entirely and install a gas fireplace with direct vent. Cheaper, but you lose the historic character.
The "Do Nothing" Option
Some homeowners choose to monitor the situation rather than repair immediately. This can be appropriate if the separation is minor and appears stable.
But the Kowalskis' chimney wasn't stable. That 2.5 inch gap didn't happen overnight. It had been growing for years, probably accelerating recently. Doing nothing meant the chimney would continue moving until something failed catastrophically.
The sellers knew about it. The spray foam proved that. They'd tried to hide it rather than fix it. Classic seller behavior, and exactly why buyers need inspections.
What Happened Next
The Kowalskis got estimates for repair. Three foundation companies came out, and quotes ranged from $11,500 to $16,200 for helical pier stabilization.
They negotiated with the sellers. The sellers initially denied knowing about the problem (the spray foam said otherwise), but eventually agreed to a $12,000 price reduction.
Mark and Jennifer bought the house. They hired the mid-priced foundation company. Six piers, professionally installed. The chimney stopped moving.
The Hidden Damage
There was additional work. A contractor opened up the wall near the chimney and found water damage to the framing. Two floor joists had rot at the ends where they met the chimney. The rim joist was soft in spots.
That repair added another $4,500. The sellers hadn't agreed to cover it, so the Kowalskis ate that cost.
Total repair bill: about $16,000 between the pier work and the framing repair. They'd gotten a $12,000 credit, so they were out of pocket $4,000 more than expected.
"Still cheaper than our condo HOA fees for a year," Jennifer said when I ran into them at the hardware store a few months later. She had the baby in a carrier. Little girl. Sleeping.
The Fireplace Works Now
They had the chimney inspected by a CSIA-certified sweep after the structural work was done. Needed a new liner and some mortar repair, but now it's functional.
"First fire of the season, right before Thanksgiving," Mark texted me. He'd attached a photo. Baby in a bouncy seat, fire crackling, house looking cozy.
The structural problems were fixed. The chimney wasn't going anywhere. Another house saved from its previous owners' neglect.
How to Spot Chimney Separation Yourself
You don't need to be an inspector to notice chimney problems. Here's what to look for.
From the Outside
Walk around your house and look at where the chimney meets the siding. Is there a gap? Is the flashing intact? Is the chimney leaning away from the house?
Look at the chimney itself. Are there cracks in the mortar between bricks? Is the chimney straight, or does it bow or lean?
Look at the roof. Is the flashing around the chimney sealed and intact? Is there staining on the roof below the chimney that might indicate water runoff problems?
From the Inside
Check the walls near the fireplace. Are there cracks, especially diagonal ones radiating from the fireplace area?
Is the mantel level? Put a level on it if you're not sure.
Does the damper operate smoothly? A stuck damper can indicate the chimney structure has shifted.
Are there water stains on ceilings near the chimney, especially on upper floors?
How Often to Check
Do a visual inspection from the ground every year, ideally in spring after freeze-thaw cycles have done their work. If you see changes from year to year, something is moving.
After major events, take another look. Extended drought can cause soil shrinkage. Heavy rain can cause erosion. Earthquakes, even small ones, can accelerate existing problems.
If you see anything concerning, get a professional opinion before it becomes an emergency.