La Habra Heights, Los Angeles County
Chimney and foundation checks in La Habra Heights
Aspenwell Construction starts a La Habra Heights visit at a masonry chimney, checking its straps, mortar and footing before planning the retrofit below.
When a La Habra Heights house has a brick or block chimney, that is what we check first on a visit. A masonry chimney is heavy and stiff, and in a quake it moves differently from the wood frame around it. We look at the joint where it passes the roofline, the straps that should tie it to the framing and the gap between the chimney and the wall. Cracks there tell us how hard the two are already working against each other.
Straps, mortar and the firebox
From the attic, we look for steel straps fastened from the chimney to ceiling joists or a braced block, and for any sign that their bolts have pulled or rusted. Outside, we check the mortar near the roof and the cap, since loose brick up high is what falls in a quake. At the hearth, a crack running through the firebox or a gap opening at the mantel shows movement. Depending on what turns up, the plan may call for new bracing, a rebuilt top section or taking the chimney down to the roofline, and an engineer sizes that work.
Under the floor and the permit
After the chimney, the visit moves into the crawlspace, where the footing under the chimney is checked for settlement and the sill around the house is probed and measured for anchors and bracing. Chimney work and a retrofit can go on one permit set. Plan review for a La Habra Heights address goes to the building department serving that city. Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights nearby are unincorporated, with Los Angeles County as the reviewer, and Whittier, Walnut and West Covina are cities that permit work at their own addresses.
What we build in La Habra Heights
Structural work comes first on this list, and every service starts with a look at the framing and foundation.
Plan structural work in La Habra Heights
Send the form and we will arrange a visit, then put the scope in writing.