From the brick chimneys of historic downtown Plano to the two-story masonry stacks of West Plano and Willow Bend, we regrind and repoint failed mortar joints before they turn into water damage — not full rebuilds you don't need.
Walk through Los Rios, historic downtown Plano, or the older streets off Legacy Drive and you'll still find plenty of full masonry chimneys standing next to the newer chase-and-firebox setups that went up across West Plano and Willow Bend in the 1980s and 90s. Those masonry stacks depend entirely on their mortar joints to stay watertight, and after two or three decades of North Texas weather, those joints are usually the first thing to give out. Chimney tuckpointing is the fix for that specific problem — grinding out crumbling mortar and repointing it with fresh, matched material — not a full rebuild, not a crown replacement, just the joints.
Failed mortar rarely announces itself until water is already inside the chimney structure. Homeowners across Plano typically notice one or more of these first:
Open joints don't just look bad — they're a direct entry point for water into the chimney's interior structure, where it can damage the flue liner, firebox, and even framing nearby. A chimney inspection is the fastest way to confirm whether tuckpointing alone will solve it, or whether there's deeper masonry damage underneath.
Plano sits on expansive clay soil that swells and shrinks with moisture, and that constant, slow movement puts stress on masonry foundations and chimney footings alike — stress that eventually shows up as cracked or separated mortar joints higher up the stack. Add in North Texas's freeze-thaw swings each winter, where water works into a hairline joint crack, freezes, expands, and widens the gap, and it's easy to see why so many older masonry chimneys in Los Rios and downtown Plano need repointing well before the brick itself is a problem. Spring hail and wind add another layer of stress, particularly for the metal chase covers and crowns common on the 1980s–2000s two-story homes throughout West Plano and Legacy-area neighborhoods, where storm impacts can knock loose flashing and open gaps at the mortar line where the chase meets the roof. Tuckpointing addresses the brick-and-mortar side of that equation directly.
Get it inspected and repointed before another North Texas freeze-thaw cycle makes it worse.
(214) 225-8874Tuckpointing is a joint-by-joint process, not a resurfacing job. Our crews grind out the old, failed mortar to a consistent depth so the new material has something solid to bond to, then repoint each joint with mortar matched to the existing color and composition so the repair blends into the rest of the stack. We check the crown and flashing while we're up there, since a solid crown and tight joints work together to keep water out of the whole system. Any structural cracking or leaning that goes beyond joint failure gets flagged separately rather than papered over.
Not every damaged chimney needs to come down and go back up. If the brick units themselves are sound and the damage is limited to the mortar joints, tuckpointing restores the chimney's watertightness at a fraction of the disruption and cost of a rebuild. We'll only recommend a full rebuild when the brick itself is spalling, shifting, or structurally compromised beyond what repointing can fix. For homeowners unsure which situation they're in, our guide to chimney water leaks walks through how to tell the difference before you call anyone out.
Pricing for tuckpointing depends on a handful of real factors: how many linear feet of joint need to be ground out and repointed, how tall and accessible the chimney is, whether it's a full masonry stack or a smaller feature on a chase, and how deep the mortar deterioration goes once we start grinding. A chimney with a few isolated damaged joints costs less to address than one where deterioration has spread across most of one side. Chimney services with Lowes Chimney Sweep start at $99, and every Plano job gets an on-site assessment and a Free Online Quote before any work begins, so you know the scope and the cost up front. We're certified, insured, and work seven days a week, including Sundays, across Plano and the surrounding DFW area.
"Very pleased with the professionalism and promptness of service. The chimney sweep was done quickly and efficiently at significantly less cost than the first quote I got from another company. Happy to recommend Lowes Chimney Sweep to anyone in Plano!"
"Outstanding chimney sweep service from start to finish. They were punctual, courteous, and left our chimney spotless with no mess in our home. I won't use anyone else for chimney services in Dallas TX!"
More reviews from homeowners across the metroplex are on our reviews section, or learn more about our team before you book.
If the brick units are still solid and the damage is limited to crumbling or missing mortar between them, tuckpointing is usually enough. We check for spalling, leaning, or structural shifting during the inspection, and only recommend a rebuild when the brick itself — not just the joints — has failed.
Plano's clay soil shifts with moisture changes, putting steady stress on masonry, and the region's freeze-thaw winters let water widen small joint cracks over time. Combined with spring hail and wind that batter crowns and chase covers, it's a common issue on both older downtown Plano masonry and the two-story homes throughout West Plano and Willow Bend.
Yes, we match the new mortar's color and composition to the existing joints so the repointed sections blend in rather than standing out as an obvious patch. This matters especially on visible chimneys in neighborhoods like Los Rios and historic downtown Plano where the brick and mortar have aged together for decades.
Most tuckpointing jobs take a single day, though the exact time depends on how many linear feet of joint need to be ground out and repointed and how accessible the chimney is. We'll give you a realistic timeframe as part of your on-site assessment before work starts.
Tuckpointing specifically applies to mortar joints between brick or stone, so it's most relevant to full masonry chimneys and any masonry veneer sections on a chase chimney. For the metal chase covers common on Plano's 1980s-2000s two-story homes, the equivalent issue is usually flashing or seam failure rather than mortar joints, which we assess separately.
Straight answers from our DFW chimney pros before you book.
