This is what a brick chimney will look like with a few years of neglect. The Chargar Corporation manufactures a clear  professional grade water repellents that will prevent much of what you see in this picture . Many owners of single family homes think that it requires special equipment to seal bricks. This is not true, Klere-Treat WB can be applied with what  many call bug sprayers or hand  pump up sprayers. A good saturating application of Klere-Treat WB will protect your investment and save you in hundreds of dollars in repointing work or complete rebuild. Klere -Treat WB is non toxic and non hazardous, it lasts as much as 10 years. Klere-Treat WB works by soaking into the pores of the masonry chimney and chemically reacts from the alkalinity within the masonry to form a water repellent barrier and is completely breathable. For more information on Klere-Treat WB go to www.chargar.com and click on water repellents or call one of our technical advisors at 1-800-922-4623