Our Services
Our masonry specialists on the chimney top in Lock Arbor
You learn what a coating can fix, and what only a rebuild can, before any work starts.
Enough flue liner above the crown
A liner that stands proud of the crown keeps water on the crown from spilling into the flue and gives a cap something to grip. Brick Industry Association guidance sets that projection at two inches or more above the finished crown.
Some crowns were poured up around the liner until it almost disappeared. When we rebuild a crown like that, we set the new surface to leave proper liner projection. If a liner is cracked at the top, we show you and price that repair separately.
Get the crown ready for storm season
From June 1 through November 30 the Atlantic hurricane season is open, and a tropical storm can drive rain sideways into every crack on a chimney top. A crown that lets in a little water all year can let in a lot in one night.
Spring is a good time to have the crown checked and sealed or rebuilt, with curing done before the heavy rain arrives. If a storm has already come through, we check for new cracks, lifted edges and damaged sealant at the flues.
Crowns on chimneys with several flues
A chimney that carries two or three flues needs a crown shaped around all of them, with slope running away from each liner and enough width between them for a sound surface. Narrow strips of concrete between flues crack easily.
The form is planned around the actual flue layout, with a bond break at every liner and room for a cap that may cover some or all of the flues. The estimate shows the crown work and any cap work separately.
A crown flagged during a home sale
Crown cracks are a frequent item on home inspection reports, usually described in a sentence or two with a recommendation to have a chimney professional evaluate them. That leaves buyers and sellers unsure how big the job really is.
Our inspection tells you plainly whether the crown needs sealing, an edge repair or a rebuild, and you get a written price. After the work, you get a written description you can share with the other side of the sale.
