Professional Crown Repair & Rebuild Services West Texas Can Count On
Although you may not give it much thought, the chimney crown that sits at the top of your chimney stack plays a vital role in keeping moisture out of your system. Without a crown, the top of the chimney stack will be wide open and vulnerable to animal, bird, rain, and debris entry. But not just any crown will do the job – a quality crown will meet certain requirements.
- Concrete vs. Mortar – For example, the crown should be built of concrete and mesh reinforcements. Concrete is able to stand up to years of rain, and can keep your chimney protected against leakss. But unfortunately, not every crown is built properly. Many contractors build the chimney crown with the same mortar used to build the chimney. This mortar will not last as long as concrete will, and may start to crack and deteriorate prematurely.
- Slope vs. Flat – Additionally, many crowns are built flat, with no slope to speak of. In these situations, water may not run off the crown as it’s intended to. Instead, it may pool atop the crown and cause cracks and erosion. A proper crown, on the other hand, will slope so as to encourage water to run off and away from the chimney.
- Drip Edge vs. No Drip Edge – What happens when the water runs off of the chimney? Does it continue on and roll off the roof, or does it settle on the flashing or run down into the masonry of the chimney stack? That depends largely on whether or not your crown has a proper drip edge. The drip edge should extend at least a couple of inches past the chimney stack and encourage water to continue on its way down and off the roof.
- Thick vs. Thin – If the crown is going to last for years, despite the heavy rains and erosion caused by the elements, it must be at least 3 inches thick at its thinnest point. Anything thinner will wear prematurely and fail at keeping water out of the chimney system.
What about your crown? Is it built to proper specs and of proper materials or could it use some attention? If you aren’t sure or think your crown may be deteriorating and allowing water into your chimney, give West Texas Chimney & Venting Solutions a call at 806-358-0817. We’ll inspect your crown and evaluate its condition and effectiveness. If we find it’s in need of repair or a rebuild, we’ll take care of it! We can promptly repair any cracks or holes or build you a brand new crown that will last, season after season. Call or request an appointment online today!
A professional flashing repair may be what’s needed to fix your leaky chimney. We can help you figure it out!