Our Services
The chimney crown, repaired from the top down
Written prices on every crown repair, from a family-owned local team, with no hidden fees.
Signs a crown is letting water in
A failing crown rarely announces itself on the roof. More often the first signs are inside, as a damp patch on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney, water on the damper or a musty smell from the fireplace after rain.
Outside, look for dark wet bands under the chimney top, white powdery deposits on the upper brick and flakes of brick or concrete in the gutter. We connect those signs to the crown or to another entry point before recommending any repair.
White deposits on the upper brick
White, powdery staining near the top of a chimney is efflorescence. The Brick Industry Association explains that it forms when water carrying dissolved minerals reaches the surface of the masonry and evaporates, leaving the minerals behind. It is a sign of water traveling through the brick.
Washing the deposits off treats the symptom. We look above them for the source, which is often a cracked crown, an open joint at the flue or missing sealant, and we fix the water path before cleaning the face.
Leaks at the roof line and leaks at the crown
Water that shows up on a ceiling beside the chimney can come from the crown, but it can also come from the flashing where the chimney passes through the roof. The two leak paths look alike from inside the house.
One visit covers all three, the crown, the joints at each flue and the flashing, and you hear which is to blame. When two are failing, each is priced separately, so a crown is never sold to cure a flashing leak.
What we check on the chimney top
A crown inspection covers the surface, the edges and the overhang, the slope and any low spots, the joint around each flue, the liner projection, the drip under the edge and the top courses of brick. We also look at the cap and the flashing while we are up there.
Each repair option comes with a plain explanation and its own written price. The inspection is free, and nothing starts until you approve the work. If the crown is sound, we tell you that too, so you do not pay for work the chimney does not need.
