Top course repair
Spalled bricks and worn joints near the top are repaired along with the crown before the crown goes on.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Crown Repair Glenside, PA
Cracked chimney crowns in Glenside can usually be sealed if caught early, or replaced if the concrete is crumbling, so rain stops soaking into the brick from above. One call to (267) 633-0161 reaches a nearby chimney crown pro.
A chimney crown covers the top of the brick and slopes away from the flue so water runs off instead of soaking in. Sitting fully exposed at the highest point of the house, it takes a beating from rain, snow and sun. 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. A cap is metal and covers the flue opening, while the crown is concrete and covers the rest of the chimney top. One cannot stand in for the other.
Many crowns crack early because of how they were built. Builders and roofers often form the crown from mortar mix spread thin and flush with the brick, with no overhang and no gap around the flue tile. That combination tends to crack within a few winters.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney crown repair in Glenside, PA can go hand in hand with chimney cap installation and chimney leak repair.
Looking for Glenside chimney crown repair? Call (267) 633-0161 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Glenside.
Call nowThe process
How chimney crown repair works
The right fix depends on whether the crown is basically sound with surface cracks or failing all the way through.
Inspect the crown
The crown is tapped and checked to see whether it is solid with surface cracks or breaking up. The flue tile, cap and upper brick are checked at the same time, since crown damage often spreads to them.
Prep the crown
Any crumbling material is chipped away and the surface is prepared. Skipping prep is the main reason crown patches peel off.
Coat the crown
Small cracks are sealed with a flexible coating made for chimney crowns, which bridges cracks and resists water. This is a good option when the crown is solid and the cracks are caught early.
Recast the top
Crowns that are breaking apart are replaced rather than patched. The new crown is sloped, overhangs the brick with a drip edge and is thick enough to resist cracking.
Leave room to move
A bond break is left between the crown and the flue tile so the tile can expand without cracking the crown. That one detail prevents the most common crown cracks.
Finish the top
A chimney cap is installed or reset over the flue once the crown has cured. Damaged upper brick and joints are often handled in the same visit.
What is included
Types of crown repair
Crack sealing
Minor cracking is filled and coated with an elastomeric sealer to extend the life of the crown.
Expansion joints
A bond break is added so the flue tile can expand freely which keeps the new crown from cracking early.
Drip edges
An overhang with a drip edge is formed into the crown to protect the brick below.
Crown rebuilding
A failed crown is replaced with a properly built concrete crown that sheds water past the brick.
Related service
Chimney Crown Replacement Glenside, PA
When a crown has deep cracks, loose chunks or no overhang at all, replacing it is more reliable than sealing it. Replacement starts with removing the old crown and inspecting the masonry underneath. A form is built around the top of the chimney, a bond break goes around the flue tile, and the new crown is cast with a slope, an overhang and a drip edge.
For Glenside homeowners, timing matters with crown replacement. Fresh concrete should not freeze while it cures, which makes mild weather the best time for the job. If a crown fails in winter, a temporary seal or tarp can limit water damage until it can be replaced. Make sure the plan includes a drip edge and a flexible joint around the flue, not just new concrete.
Local help
Chimney Crown Repair Near Me
Chimney crowns in Glenside take the full force of the weather year round. Homes in Glenside and nearby towns like Wyncote, Jenkintown, Oreland and Roslyn include plenty of older chimneys whose crowns were troweled from mortar rather than built as proper concrete crowns, so sealing cracks early or replacing a poorly built crown protects the rest of the chimney.
Need chimney crown repair around Glenside? Call (267) 633-0161 for a Glenside chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Glenside
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Glenside, PA schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Glenside know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Crown Repair questions
How long does a chimney crown last?
A properly built concrete crown with an overhang and expansion joint can last for decades. Poorly built crowns crack early and need attention more often. An annual inspection catches cracks while they can still be sealed.
Can a cracked chimney crown be repaired?
That depends on how deep and widespread the cracks are. If the crown is sound with only small cracks, a crown coating is often all it needs. Deep cracks and loose chunks call for a new crown.
Is a cracked chimney crown a big deal?
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. Caught early, a crown seal is simple, but left alone, the damage can spread down the chimney.
What is the difference between a chimney crown and a chimney cap?
Think of the crown as the roof of the chimney and the cap as the lid on the flue. The crown keeps water out of the brick, and the cap keeps rain, animals and debris out of the flue. A damaged crown needs its own repair.
What causes chimney crowns to crack?
The most common causes are freeze-thaw cycles, poor construction and flue tile expansion. Many crowns are troweled from mortar mix with no overhang and no gap around the flue tile, so they crack within a few years. Water and frost then finish the job.
More questions? Call (267) 633-0161
Other services that may help
Chimney Cap Installation
Installing chimney caps with mesh sides so water, birds and debris stay out of the flue.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, before the water rots framing or ruins the flue.
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
Protecting chimney masonry from rain with a penetrating repellent, to slow freeze-thaw damage and spalling.
Learn more
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(267) 633-0161
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