Crack sealing
Small cracks in a sound crown are sealed that keeps water out and moves with the concrete.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Crown Repair Swedesboro, NJ
A Swedesboro chimney technician can repair the crown, the concrete slab that seals the top of the chimney around the flue, with a design that sheds water past the masonry. One call to (856) 490-5006 reaches a nearby chimney crown pro.
The chimney crown is the slab of concrete or mortar on top of the chimney, around the flue tile, and its job is to keep water out of the masonry below. It takes more weather than any other part of the chimney, so it is often the first thing to crack. A cracked crown funnels water into the chimney, where freezing and thawing break the masonry apart from the top down.
It helps to separate the crown from the cap. A cap is metal and covers the flue opening, while the crown is concrete and covers the rest of the chimney top. One cannot stand in for the other.
Crowns often fail sooner than they should for a few common reasons. Builders and roofers often form the crown from mortar mix spread thin and flush with the brick, with no overhang and no gap around the flue tile. Mortar shrinks and cracks under weather, and an expanding flue tile will split a crown that has no room for movement.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Swedesboro chimney sweep may also recommend chimney cap installation or chimney leak repair.
Need chimney crown repair in Swedesboro? Call (856) 490-5006 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a crown repair
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. Damage to the top courses of brick or the flue tile is noted too.
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
Hairline cracks in an otherwise sound crown are filled and the whole crown is coated with a flexible, elastomeric crown sealer. It works well on a structurally sound crown with surface cracks.
Replace the crown
A failing crown is chipped off and replaced with a properly built concrete crown. A proper replacement slopes away from the flue and extends past the brick with a drip edge underneath.
Leave room to move
The gap around the flue tile is filled with a flexible sealant rather than locked tight in concrete. Without it, the hot flue tile will crack a new crown just like the old one.
Finish the top
A chimney cap is installed or reset over the flue once the crown has cured. Damaged upper brick and joints are often handled in the same visit.
What is included
What crown repair covers
Bond breaks
A bond break is added so the flue tile can expand freely which keeps the new crown from cracking early.
Crown replacement
Crumbling or badly cracked crowns are removed and recast built to last through many winters.
Overhangs
New crowns are built to overhang the brick with a groove underneath to protect the brick below.
Top course repair
The brick under the crown is repointed or replaced where needed to stop damage from spreading downward.
Related service
Chimney Crown Replacement Swedesboro, NJ
Chimney crown replacement is the right call when the crown is cracked all the way through, crumbling, missing pieces or was built too thin to last. Replacement starts with removing the old crown and inspecting the masonry underneath. Forms are set to create the overhang, the flue tile is wrapped to allow movement, and concrete is placed and sloped away from the flue.
In Swedesboro, the weather affects when a crown can be replaced. Concrete needs to cure without freezing, so most crown replacements are done from spring into fall. In the meantime, a temporary cover can keep the worst of the water out. Make sure the plan includes a drip edge and a flexible joint around the flue, not just new concrete.
Local help
Chimney Crown Repair Near Me
Chimney crowns in Swedesboro take the full force of the weather year round. Homes in Swedesboro and nearby towns like Beckett, Mullica Hill, Gibbstown and Woodstown include plenty of older chimneys whose crowns were troweled from mortar rather than built as proper concrete crowns, and a properly built crown is one of the best investments in a chimney.
Searching for chimney crown repair near me from Swedesboro or Beckett, Mullica Hill, Gibbstown and Woodstown? Call (856) 490-5006 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Swedesboro, NJ schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Swedesboro know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney crown repair
How serious is a cracked chimney crown?
Crown cracks start small but cause damage well beyond the crown. Once water reaches the masonry, it leads to spalled brick, failing mortar, rusted dampers and damaged flue tiles. Sealing a crack early is a small job, while ignoring it can lead to rebuilding the top of the chimney.
What is the difference between a chimney crown and a chimney cap?
Think of the crown as the roof of the chimney and the cap as the lid on the flue. They protect different parts of the chimney. Adding a cap will not fix crown damage.
How long does a chimney crown last?
How long a crown lasts depends mostly on how it was built. Poorly built crowns crack early and need attention more often. Yearly inspections, as NFPA 211 recommends, are the best way to keep an eye on it.
Why did my chimney crown crack?
Crowns crack from water freezing in small cracks, from being built thin out of mortar, and from the flue tile expanding against them. A crown cast tight against the flue tile will crack when the tile heats and expands. Each freeze after that makes the crack wider.
Can a cracked chimney crown be repaired?
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.
More questions? Call (856) 490-5006
Related services
Chimney Cap Installation
Putting a sturdy cap on top of the chimney sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Stopping chimney leaks at the source, before the water rots framing or ruins the flue.
Learn moreChimney Masonry Repair
Repairing spalled brick, crumbling mortar, cracks and loose courses on masonry chimneys, with materials matched to the original masonry.
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
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