Crack sealing
Hairline cracks are sealed with a flexible crown coating to extend the life of the crown.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Crown Repair Palos Heights, IL
Cracked chimney crowns in Palos Heights can usually be sealed if caught early, or replaced if the concrete is crumbling, before water and frost turn small cracks into a rebuild. One call to (708) 708-7262 reaches a nearby chimney crown pro.
At the very top of a masonry chimney sits the crown, a sloped slab that seals the brick around the flue and sheds rain. 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.
It helps to separate the crown from the cap. 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. A new cap will not stop water from soaking in through a cracked crown.
Many crowns crack early because of how they were built. A common shortcut is a thin layer of mortar troweled over the top, with no overhang to throw water clear and nothing to let the flue tile expand. That combination tends to crack within a few winters.
Many chimney crown repair calls in Palos Heights also turn up a need for chimney cap installation or chimney leak repair.
Dealing with this in Palos Heights, IL right now? Call (708) 708-7262 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The crown repair process
Here is how a chimney technician typically handles a crown repair.
Assess the cracks
The crown is tapped and checked to see whether it is solid with surface cracks or breaking up. 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. Good prep decides how long the repair lasts.
Seal minor cracks
For minor cracking, a brushable crown repair coating seals the cracks and stretches with the concrete as it moves. This is a good option when the crown is solid and the cracks are caught early.
Replace the crown
Crowns that are breaking apart are replaced rather than patched. A proper replacement slopes away from the flue and extends past the brick with a drip edge underneath.
Expansion joint
The crown is separated from the flue tile by an expansion joint sealed with flexible material. It is one of the most overlooked parts of a crown.
Cap the flue
A cap goes back on once the new crown is ready. It is a good moment to repoint the top courses if needed.
What is included
Types of crown repair
Upper brick repair
The brick under the crown is repointed or replaced where needed to stop damage from spreading downward.
Crown replacement
Thin mortar crowns are replaced with a slope, overhang and drip edge.
Bond breaks
A bond break is added so the flue tile can expand freely to prevent the most common type of crown crack.
Overhangs
An overhang with a drip edge is formed into the crown which keeps runoff from soaking the masonry.
Related service
Chimney Crown Replacement Palos Heights, IL
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. 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.
Crown work in Palos Heights depends on the season. Because new concrete is vulnerable to frost while it cures, crown work is easier outside the coldest months. A winter crown failure can often be sealed temporarily to buy time until warmer weather. 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 Palos Heights, a crown that looked fine in the fall can be cracked by spring. Homes in Palos Heights and nearby towns like Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills 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.
For chimney crown repair in Palos Heights, IL or nearby towns like Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, call (708) 708-7262 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
Chimneys in this climate
Winters here are cold and long, with lake effect snow in many towns and deep cold snaps that can last for days. Heating systems and wood stoves work nearly nonstop for months, so flues collect creosote fast and liners and crowns see a lot of heat and cold. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. That is why Palos Heights chimney sweeps are busiest every September and October.
Why call
Why not wait
Safer fires
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Palos Heights and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Crown Repair questions
Do I need a new crown if mine is cracked?
The answer turns on how badly the crown is damaged. 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.
Why did my chimney crown crack?
Weather, shortcuts in the original build and heat from the flue are behind most crown cracks. A crown cast tight against the flue tile will crack when the tile heats and expands. Once a crack forms, water gets in, freezes and widens it every winter.
Is a chimney crown the same as a chimney cap?
A crown is masonry and seals the top of the chimney, while a cap is a metal hood with a screen that covers the flue itself. 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.
When does a chimney crown need replacing?
How long a crown lasts depends mostly on how it was built. Crowns made from mortar mix, with no overhang or no gap around the flue tile, fail much sooner. Yearly inspections, as NFPA 211 recommends, are the best way to keep an eye on it.
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. Fixing it now is far easier than repairing the masonry damage later.
More questions? Call (708) 708-7262
Other services that may help
Chimney Cap Installation
Installing chimney caps with mesh sides to keep out rain, animals, leaves and stray sparks.
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
Fixing the brick, stone and mortar that hold a chimney together, before freeze-thaw damage spreads.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Treating chimney brick and mortar with a breathable water repellent, applied after repairs so the brick sheds water but can still dry out.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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