Our Services
Chimney leak repair from the top down
Across Midway, we trace chimney leaks and repair the part that lets water in.
The joint between crown and flue tile
Concrete and clay tile expand and contract at different rates. When the crown is cast tight against the flue tile, that movement can crack the crown or the tile and open a path for water beside the flue.
The building code calls for a bond break with a sealed joint around the flue lining. We check that joint for gaps and cracks, and when water is getting in there, we reseal it or rebuild it as part of the crown repair. A sound joint lets the tile and crown move without tearing each other apart.
Crickets behind wide chimneys
On the uphill side of a wide chimney, a cricket divides the flow of water and sends it around the chimney. The Florida Building Code requires a cricket on any chimney wider than 30 inches, measured parallel to the ridge, that does not meet the ridge.
Without a cricket, leaves collect and water backs up against the flashing in heavy rain. Adding one involves framing, roofing and flashing work, so we explain how that work would be coordinated and what each part would cost before anything is scheduled.
Where sealant helps and where it does not
Sealant has a place in chimney work, at the bond break around the flue tile and along the top edge of counterflashing. Used as a patch over failed flashing or a broken crown, it holds only briefly.
Old sealant patches get special attention during the inspection because they often mark where an earlier leak was found. Where a patch is covering a failed part, the part itself is repaired. That is how a leak repair stays repaired after the next few storms.
The top of the flue tile
The flue tile should stand above the crown so water on the crown does not spill into the flue. A cracked or chipped tile top lets water run between the tile and the masonry around it.
The height and condition of the tile at the crown are checked, along with the sealed joint around it. A damaged tile top is repaired or protected under a cap as part of stopping the leak, and the repair is described in the estimate with the reason it is needed.
