A cleanout door on the outside of your masonry chimney aids in making it easy for you to access the chimney and remove any ash and soot that might be there.
This makes chimney cleaning very easy. If your chimney doesn’t have a cleanout door, you should consider installing one on the side of your chimney. To help you out, here are tips on how to install the door:
Wait for the chimney to cool
Before you do anything, you should let the chimney to cool. Once cool you should drill holes on the inside of each corner of the chimney using a ½ inch diameter, 18 inch long masonry hammer drill and masonry bit. You should drill holes that are 1 inch from the corner holes.
You should continue drilling holes and then use a chisel to chisel through the spaces between the holes. You should do this until you cut the entire opening from the chimney.
Mix mortar
You should mix mortar and water in a bucket according to the given directions. As rule of thumb you should ensure that the consistency resembles a thick soup. Once the consistency is ready you should scoop some of the mortar using a trowel and place an even ¼-inch layer at the bottom of the chimney opening. You should be keen and ensure that the chimney masonry repair work is perfect.
You should place another layer along the top flange of the cleanout door frame and then insert the cleanout door into the opening. For ideal results you should ensure that the door is flush against the chimney. To keep the cleanout door in place you should wedge a wood block against the ground and the centre of the door.
After the mortar has settled you should apply ½-inch bead of heat-resistant caulk around the door’s perimeter and the chimney.
Noteworthy tips
For you to get ideal results you should ensure that you use the right masonry cutting tools. To protect yourself you should use protective gear. For example, you should wear groves. You should also wear protective glasses to protect you from the broken masonry and clay tiling.
While you can easily install the masonry chimney cleanout door on your own if you have the right skills, it’s highly discouraged to attempt installing it if you don’t have masonry skills. For perfect results you should hire the services of a chimney contractor.
