Crumbling chimney crowns on older brick stacks
Why it happens here
Original crowns on these homes were often thin mortar washes with no overhang, and decades of freeze-thaw have cracked them apart. Once the crown fails, water runs straight down the flue and into the smoke chamber. It is the single most common leak source on this corridor.
Our approach
We rebuild the crown with chimney crown mix over a proper overhang so water sheds off the edge instead of pooling. We also seal the perimeter where the crown meets the brick. Most crown rebuilds here are done in a single visit on a dry day.