There are many vital parts to the chimney system, all of them working together to protect your family and home from dangerous toxins and fire hazard. The chimney vents smoke, soot, microscopic particles, and toxic gases up the chimney. In order for it to continue to work properly, efficiently, and safely, you have to protect it.
Water and Your Chimney
The most devastating damage to your chimney system can occur do to one simple factor: water. If water is allowed to penetrate the chimney system it damages it from the inside out. When a chimney is properly constructed it should have preventative measures in place to prevent water damage, including the chimney cap, flashing, and crown.
Your Chimney Crown
The chimney crown is a slab of concrete that tops the masonry chimney. It’s sole design is to prevent water from running into the chimney. It reaches from the liner to the outside of the chimney with a slight taper to allow water to run off the chimney. It should reach two inches over the chimney edge so that water runs off the chimney, and not down the side.
When to Call a Professional
A long winter of freezing temperatures and heavy precipitation can lead to a damaged chimney crown, and even a small crack can cause water damage to the entire system. When you notice the hint of any water in the chimney system, you should notify a professional immediately. However, the average homeowner won’t notice a water leak until it’s caused extensive hidden damage. This is why it’s important to schedule routine maintenance. If you haven’t had your chimney inspected in the last calendar year, you should do so now. It’s at this appointment that any issue with the chimney crown will be detected.
Common Crown Repairs
By scheduling a chimney inspection, it can mean a repair instead of a replacement. Brickliners can repair cracks and sometimes holes in your chimney crown using CrownCoat, a brush-on sealant from ChimneySaver that allows a chimney sweep to repair cracks and voids in a damaged crown.
When the crown is damaged beyond repair, it can be replaced. Brickliners installs poured chimney crowns with a 10 year warranty as well as a crown wash. A crown wash is thinner and ends at the chimney edge, providing less protection from water. The crown wash comes with a 5 year warranty.
When is the time to have your chimney crown repaired? As soon as a problem is detected, you should take action. Spring showers can badly damage a chimney with a cracked crown. Let Brickliners protect your chimney year-round by repairing the chimney crown today!
