Chimney crown coating and replacement options in Bayside

Crown work and the roof flashing stay separate

Water at the ceiling beside a chimney can come from the crown or from the flashing at the roof line. Both are water-shedding details, but they sit in different places and fail in different ways. Treating one for the other leaves the leak in place.

When we assess the crown, we also look at the flashing from the roof. If the flashing is the more likely path, we explain that and price it on its own line. The crown estimate covers only the top of the chimney unless you approve more.

Removing the old crown and hauling it away

Taking off a failed crown produces broken concrete, old mortar and dust. That material is lowered from the roof with care and collected as the work goes on. Nothing is swept off the edge onto plants or paths below.

We clean up the work area and haul the debris away when the job is finished. If the removal reveals more loose material than expected, we stop and show you before continuing. Keep children and pets away from the area under the chimney while removal is under way.

Conditions that decide sealing or replacement

The choice between coating and a new crown comes down to a few conditions. We check each one on your chimney and explain what we found.

When all of these hold, a coating may be a sensible repair. When one or more fails, a coating would cover a problem it cannot solve, and we explain replacement instead.

• The concrete is firm and still attached to the brick
• The crown slopes away from every flue
• The edges keep real thickness and overhang the face
• The joint at each flue can be resealed

Maintenance visits that include the crown

A crown is easier to keep sound than to replace. Brick industry maintenance guidance calls for periodic inspection of masonry, with chimneys, caps and copings exposed to harsher conditions than walls. A maintenance visit gives the crown regular attention.

We look at the surface, the flue joints and the cap fixings, and note any change since the last visit. Small issues such as a split sealant bead can be dealt with before they let water in. Ask about maintenance visits when you book your inspection.