Crown rebuilding
Thin mortar crowns are replaced built to last through many winters.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Crown Repair Clarendon Hills, IL
A Clarendon Hills chimney technician can repair the crown, the concrete slab that seals the top of the chimney around the flue, so rain stops soaking into the brick from above. One call to (331) 301-3221 reaches a nearby chimney crown pro.
At the very top of a masonry chimney sits the crown, a sloped slab that seals the brick around the flue and sheds rain. Sitting fully exposed at the highest point of the house, it takes a beating from rain, snow and sun. A cracked crown funnels water into the chimney, where freezing and thawing break the masonry apart from the top down.
A crown is not the same as a chimney cap, though the words are often mixed up. The cap is a metal hood over the flue that keeps out rain and animals, and the crown is the concrete it is mounted on. Both matter, but a cap does nothing for a cracked crown.
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 is not meant for that job, and a flue tile that heats and expands will crack a crown that is cast tight against it.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Clarendon Hills chimney sweep may also recommend chimney cap installation or chimney leak repair.
Need chimney crown repair in Clarendon Hills? Call (331) 301-3221 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Clarendon Hills.
Call nowThe process
How chimney crown repair works
Crown repair runs from a simple seal coat to a full rebuild, depending on the damage.
Assess the cracks
From the roof, the crown is examined for cracks, crumbling, poor slope and missing overhang. Damage to the top courses of brick or the flue tile is noted too.
Remove loose material
Loose concrete, moss and debris are cleared and the surface is cleaned and dried. Good prep decides how long the repair lasts.
Apply crown sealer
Small cracks are sealed with a flexible coating made for chimney crowns, which bridges cracks and resists water. It is the least invasive fix when the crown is still intact.
Recast the top
A failing crown is chipped off and replaced with a properly built concrete crown. It is built from concrete or a crown mix rather than plain mortar, with an overhang that throws water clear.
Flue tile joint
The gap around the flue tile is filled with a flexible sealant rather than locked tight in concrete. That one detail prevents the most common crown cracks.
Finish the top
With the crown done, a cap with a mesh screen is added to keep rain and animals out of the flue. Damaged upper brick and joints are often handled in the same visit.
What is included
What crown repair covers
Drip edges
New crowns are built to overhang the brick with a groove underneath which keeps runoff from soaking the masonry.
Expansion joints
The flue tile is separated from the crown to prevent the most common type of crown crack.
Crack sealing
Small cracks in a sound crown are sealed to extend the life of the crown.
Top course repair
The brick under the crown is repointed or replaced where needed so the new crown sits on sound masonry.
Related service
Chimney Crown Replacement Clarendon Hills, IL
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. First the failed crown comes off, exposing the top of the brick and the flue tile. A form is built around the top of the chimney, a bond break goes around the flue tile, and the new crown is cast with a slope, an overhang and a drip edge.
Crown work in Clarendon Hills depends on the season. 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. Ask the chimney sweep whether the new crown will have an overhang, a drip edge and an expansion joint at the flue, since those three details decide how long it lasts.
Local help
Chimney Crown Repair Near Me
In Clarendon Hills, a crown that looked fine in the fall can be cracked by spring. Homes in Clarendon Hills and nearby towns like Westmont, Hinsdale, Willowbrook and Oak Brook 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.
Need chimney crown repair around Clarendon Hills? Call (331) 301-3221 for a Clarendon Hills chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a chimney
This part of the country gets long winters, heavy snow in places and stretches of bitter cold. Heating systems and wood stoves work nearly nonstop for months, which means fast creosote buildup and a lot of stress on liners, crowns and flashing. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. That is why Clarendon Hills chimney sweeps are busiest every September and October.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Sweeps who know Clarendon Hills
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Clarendon Hills and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Crown Repair questions
When does a chimney crown need replacing?
A properly built concrete crown with an overhang and expansion joint can last for decades. Poorly built crowns crack early and need attention more often. Having the crown checked each year lets you seal cracks before replacement is needed.
Is a chimney crown the same as a chimney cap?
Think of the crown as the roof of the chimney and the cap as the lid on the flue. Each does a different job, so a good chimney needs both. A damaged crown needs its own repair.
Do I need a new crown if mine is cracked?
That depends on how deep and widespread the cracks are. Hairline cracks in a solid crown can be sealed with a flexible crown coating that bridges the cracks and keeps water out. If the crown is cracked through, crumbling or missing pieces, replacement is the better option.
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. Caught early, a crown seal is simple, but left alone, the damage can spread down the chimney.
Why did my chimney crown crack?
Weather, shortcuts in the original build and heat from the flue are behind most crown cracks. Many crowns are troweled from mortar mix with no overhang and no gap around the flue tile, so they crack within a few years. Each freeze after that makes the crack wider.
More questions? Call (331) 301-3221
Often needed together
Chimney Cap Installation
Installing chimney caps with mesh sides to keep out rain, animals, leaves and stray sparks.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Stopping chimney leaks at the source, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
Learn moreChimney Masonry Repair
Repairing spalled brick, crumbling mortar, cracks and loose courses on masonry chimneys, before freeze-thaw damage spreads.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Waterproofing masonry chimneys with vapor-permeable repellents, not paint, applied after repairs so the brick sheds water but can still dry out.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Clarendon Hills chimney sweep about chimney crown repair
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(331) 301-3221
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