Chimney Crown Repair from Your Local Crew
Up top, a concrete or mortar slab covers the last course of brick. That slab is the crown, and it takes every storm head on. Many older crowns were finished with plain mortar that cracks as it ages. Once water gets through, it runs down inside the brick and the damage shows up lower, not on top.
About Chimney Crown Repair
A true chimney crown is a slab, not a coating. It sits on the top course of brick, slopes away from the flue on all sides, and projects past the brick face so water drips clear rather than running down the wall. Underneath the overhang, a small groove called a drip edge breaks the flow so drops fall off instead of curling back. Around each flue tile, a gap filled with flexible sealant lets the tile grow with heat without cracking the slab.
A large share of older chimneys in the area did not get a crown built that way. Instead, the top was finished with a mortar wash: ordinary mortar troweled over the brick, flush with the edges and packed tight against the tile. It looks fine for a few seasons, then shrinks, cracks around the tile and lets water into the core of the chimney. Freeze and thaw open the cracks wider each winter until pieces lift off.
Choosing the right repair depends on how sound the slab is. Surface cracks in a crown that is still firmly attached and well shaped can be sealed with a flexible crown coating that bridges hairlines and sheds water. A crown that rings hollow, moves underfoot or has broken through needs to come off. The replacement is formed and poured with an overhang, a drip edge, a bond break from the brick and an expansion joint at each tile.
What Our Crew Does
- Crown tapped and checked for hollow spots, through-cracks and loose pieces
- Overhang, slope and the joint at each flue tile measured
- Sound crowns cleaned, dried and coated with a flexible crown sealant
- Failed crowns broken out down to the top course of brick
- Forms built to give the new crown an overhang and drip edge
- A bond break laid so the new slab can move without cracking the brick
- Concrete placed, sloped and finished, then left to cure
- Expansion gap at each tile filled with flexible sealant and the caps refitted
When to Call Us
- Cracks running across the top slab
- Chunks of concrete in the gutter or on the shingles
- A crown that sits flush with the brick, with no overhang
- Damp or stained brick just below the top
- Gaps where the crown meets the flue tile
How the Job Goes
- Get on top
We check the crown for cracks, slope and overhang, and look at the joint around each flue tile.
- Pick the fix
Fine cracks get a flexible crown sealant. A crown that is broken through or loose comes off.
- Form and pour
A new crown is formed to slope away from the flue and overhang the brick, so water drips clear of the face.
- Leave room to move
A gap is left around the flue tile and filled with a flexible sealant, so the tile can expand with heat without cracking the crown.
Your Options
A brushed-on flexible coating for hairline cracks. Works only on a crown that is still solid and firmly attached.
Formed and poured on the chimney to fit its exact shape. The standard for a lasting replacement.
Made off site and set in place. Suits simple square or rectangular tops and cures before it reaches the roof.
A cut stone slab on some older or historic chimneys. Repaired or reset rather than replaced with concrete where the look matters.
What Affects the Cost
- Top dimensions and the number of flues passing through the slab
- Coating versus full replacement
- Loose or spalled brick found under a failed crown
- Forming work for an overhang on irregular or oversized tops
- Caps that must be removed and refitted or replaced
- Getting concrete, forms and tools up to the roof safely
Every job starts with a free written estimate, so you know the price before we start.
When It Cannot Wait
- Pieces of concrete or mortar falling into the gutter or onto the roof
- A crown that moves or rocks
- Bricks under the crown loosening or spalling
- Water appearing in the firebox or on the damper after rain
Make It Last
- Recoat the crown when the sealant shows wear, as its maker suggests
- Keep the sealant around each flue tile intact and flexible
- Cover the slab with a full-top cap where the flue layout allows, so rain stays off it
- Check the crown from the yard each spring for new cracks or missing pieces
Questions About Chimney Crown Repair
Why do crowns crack?
Is sealing enough, or do I need a new crown?
Does the chimney need sweeping first?
What is a bond break and why does a crown need one?
Can the fireplace be used while the new crown cures?
Does a crown repair require a new cap?
Guides From Our Crew
What Should You Do About a Cracked Chimney Crown?Deal with a cracked crown before the next winter.
How Much Does Chimney Crown Repair Cost?Crown repair cost turns mostly on one question: can the crown be sealed, or does it have to be replaced? Sealing fine cracks on a sound crown is a short job.
Chimney Crown vs Cap: What Is the Difference?The crown is the concrete or mortar slab covering the top of the chimney around the flue tiles.
Why Are the Bricks on My Chimney Spalling?Spalling means the outer face of a brick is flaking, peeling or popping off in chips.
Why Does My Chimney Leak When It Rains?Most chimney leaks come from one of four places: the flashing where the chimney meets the roof, a cracked crown on top, an open flue with no cap, or brick and mortar that soak up rain.
Why homeowners call Pro 1
18,000+ Chimney Jobs. One Standard.
15+ years and 18,000+ chimney jobs taught us what homeowners want: a crew that shows up, explains it plainly and leaves the house as clean as they found it.
$500 OFF any chimney service
- Our own local crews
The people at your door work for us and live in the area. We never send subcontractors.
- Licensed and insured
Your home and our crew are covered on every job, from a sweep to a full rebuild.
- Free written estimate
You see what we found and what it takes to fix it, in writing, before any work starts.
- Upfront pricing
The price we write down is the price you pay. No hidden fees and no surprise add-ons.
- Fast response
Open 24 hours Sunday to Friday, with a real person on the phone and same-day visits when we can.
- Clean, careful work
Floors and furniture covered, the roof and yard cleaned up, and a walk-through when we finish.
Limited time offer
$500 OFF
Any chimney service. Mention it when you call or book online.
Simple from the first call
How It Works
- Your callCall, text or book online
Tell us what you see or smell. A real person from our team answers and sets a time that suits you.
- The visitFree chimney inspection
Our own crew arrives in a marked Pro 1 van, covers the floor and inspects the chimney from the firebox to the cap, free of charge.
- The estimateFree written estimate
We walk you through what we found, in plain words, and put any repair in writing before work starts.
- The workThe job, done right
We do the work, clean up the roof, the yard and the room, and walk you through the finished job.
Book before the holidays. Fireplaces get their heaviest use from Thanksgiving to New Year. A free inspection now catches nests, creosote and cracked flue tiles before the first big fire and the family gatherings.
Book My Free InspectionGet a Free Estimate
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