Crown rebuilding
A failed crown is replaced with a properly built concrete crown with a slope, overhang and drip edge.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Crown Repair Jenkintown, PA
A Jenkintown chimney technician can repair the crown, the concrete slab that seals the top of the chimney around the flue, before water and frost turn small cracks into a rebuild. Dial (267) 633-0240 to talk with a local chimney sweep about the crown.
A chimney crown covers the top of the brick and slopes away from the flue so water runs off instead of soaking in. It takes more weather than any other part of the chimney, so it is often the first thing to crack. Once it cracks, water runs straight into the brick and mortar below, and every freeze widens the crack.
People often confuse the crown with the cap, but they are different parts. The cap is a metal hood over the flue that keeps out rain and animals, and the crown is the concrete it is mounted on. One cannot stand in for the other.
Crowns often fail sooner than they should for a few common reasons. Many original crowns are thin mortar caps rather than proper concrete, with no drip edge and the flue tile locked tight in the mix. That combination tends to crack within a few winters.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney crown repair in Jenkintown, PA can go hand in hand with chimney cap installation and chimney leak repair.
Need chimney crown repair in Jenkintown? Call (267) 633-0240 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a crown repair
The right fix depends on whether the crown is basically sound with surface cracks or failing all the way through.
Inspect the crown
The technician checks the crown for crack size and depth, overhang, slope and the joint around the flue tile. The cap and the upper masonry are part of the same check.
Remove loose material
Any crumbling material is chipped away and the surface is prepared. Repairs only hold on a clean, sound, dry surface.
Seal minor cracks
For minor cracking, a brushable crown repair coating seals the cracks and stretches with the concrete as it moves. It is the least invasive fix when the crown is still intact.
Rebuild if needed
If the crown is crumbling, thin or cracked through, it is removed and a new one is formed and cast. It is built from concrete or a crown mix rather than plain mortar, with an overhang that throws water clear.
Expansion joint
The gap around the flue tile is filled with a flexible sealant rather than locked tight in concrete. That one detail prevents the most common crown cracks.
Cap the flue
With the crown done, a cap with a mesh screen is added to keep rain and animals out of the flue. Any spalled brick at the top can be repaired at the same time.
What is included
What crown repair covers
Drip edges
An overhang with a drip edge is formed into the crown to protect the brick below.
Top course repair
Spalled bricks and worn joints near the top are repaired along with the crown to stop damage from spreading downward.
Expansion joints
The joint between the crown and flue tile is opened and sealed with flexible material to prevent the most common type of crown crack.
Crown sealer
Minor cracking is filled and coated with an elastomeric sealer before water and frost can widen them.
Related service
Chimney Crown Replacement Jenkintown, PA
A crown that is breaking apart or was built from thin mortar usually needs to be replaced rather than coated. First the failed crown comes off, exposing the top of the brick and the flue tile. Forms are set to create the overhang, the flue tile is wrapped to allow movement, and concrete is placed and sloped away from the flue.
Crown work in Jenkintown depends on the season. Concrete needs to cure without freezing, so most crown replacements are done from spring into fall. In the meantime, a temporary cover can keep the worst of the water out. Ask the chimney sweep whether the new crown will have an overhang, a drip edge and an expansion joint at the flue, since those three details decide how long it lasts.
Local help
Chimney Crown Repair Near Me
In Jenkintown, a crown that looked fine in the fall can be cracked by spring. Homes in Jenkintown and nearby towns like Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley include plenty of older chimneys whose crowns were troweled from mortar rather than built as proper concrete crowns, which is why catching crown cracks in their first season keeps the repair simple.
For chimney crown repair in Jenkintown, PA or nearby towns like Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley, call (267) 633-0240 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. That is why chimney cleaning in Jenkintown is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why not wait
Safer fires
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Local knowledge
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Jenkintown and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Crown Repair FAQ
Can a cracked chimney crown be repaired?
How far the cracking goes decides it. Minor surface cracks are usually sealed with an elastomeric crown sealer. A crown that is breaking apart or was built too thin usually needs to be replaced.
Is a chimney crown the same as a chimney cap?
The crown is the concrete or mortar slab that covers the top of the masonry around the flue, and the cap is the metal cover that sits over the flue opening. Each does a different job, so a good chimney needs both. A damaged crown needs its own repair.
How serious is a cracked chimney crown?
Small crown cracks deserve attention because they let water straight into the chimney. Water that gets through a crack soaks the brick and mortar, freezes and causes spalling, crumbling joints and leaks. Fixing it now is far easier than repairing the masonry damage later.
Why did my chimney crown crack?
Crowns crack from water freezing in small cracks, from being built thin out of mortar, and from the flue tile expanding against them. Thin mortar crowns with no room for flue tile movement tend to crack early. Once a crack forms, water gets in, freezes and widens it every winter.
How long does a chimney crown last?
A well-built crown can last a very long time, while a thin mortar crown may crack within a few years. Poorly built crowns crack early and need attention more often. Yearly inspections, as NFPA 211 recommends, are the best way to keep an eye on it.
More questions? Call (267) 633-0240
Often needed together
Chimney Cap Installation
Fitting a metal cap over the top of the flue sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
Learn moreChimney Masonry Repair
Repairing spalled brick, crumbling mortar, cracks and loose courses on masonry chimneys, so the chimney stays solid and dry.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Treating chimney brick and mortar with a breathable water repellent, as the last step in keeping a chimney dry.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesGet chimney crown repair help in Jenkintown
Call (267) 633-0240 for a local chimney sweep in Jenkintown and nearby towns.
(267) 633-0240
Free to call. No forms to fill out.