Chimney crown repair serving Stoneybrook Hills

Renewing the sealant joint around the flue

Even a well-built crown has a soft joint where it meets the flue liner. That sealant ages in sun and heat, pulls away from the tile and opens a thin gap. Rain then runs straight down that gap into the chimney, even though the crown itself looks fine.

Sometimes the whole repair is cutting out the old sealant and installing new. It is a far smaller job than a new crown. Our technicians check this joint first because it is the simplest crown leak to fix and one of the easiest to overlook.

The right sealant for this joint stays flexible through heat and sun and sticks to both the crown and the tile. Our crew removes the old bead completely, cleans both faces and tools the new one so water runs away from the joint. The product name goes on your handover sheet.

Room for the flue to vent under a cap

When a cap sits on a new crown, it still has to let the flue vent freely. Section R1003.9.3 of the Florida Building Code, Residential, covers rain caps on masonry chimneys and requires enough open area under the cap for the flue it serves.

Our technicians match any cap we fit to the flue size and set it so the new crown drains around it. A cap that chokes the flue causes draft trouble inside the house, so sizing it correctly is part of the crown job from the beginning.

Caps also carry screens that keep animals and debris out. A clogged screen restricts the flue much like an undersized cap. When we check the crown, we look at the screen as well and clean or replace it as needed, listing any cap work separately.

Form work and a clean crown finish

The shape of a new crown comes from its forms. Good forms give a straight overhang, a true drip line and a crisp edge. Rushed forms give a lumpy top that holds water in its low spots for days.

Our crew takes the time to build and square the forms before any concrete arrives. After the pour, the surface is finished smooth so water runs off. When the forms come off, you get a crown that looks right from the yard and works right on the roof.

The finish also changes how water behaves. A smooth, dense surface sheds rain better than a rough one, and a sharp edge at the drip lets it fall clear. Our crew finishes each crown by hand and checks the slope before leaving it to cure.

What our technician checks on a crown

A crown inspection is more than a glance at the top. Our technician looks at the surface, taps for hollow areas, checks the edges and drip, watches how the top drains and examines the joint at each flue.

Everything goes into a written summary in plain language, with a recommendation for each finding. The inspection is free, and so is the estimate.

The inspection also covers the brick at the top of the chimney and the cap. If anything outside the crown needs attention, we tell you, and it shows up as a separate line on the estimate so you can decide.

• Surface cracks and how deep they run
• Hollow or loose sections
• Edges, corners and the drip line
• Sealant and bond break at each flue