The crown is the concrete cap at the top of the chimney. When it cracks, water runs into the flue, the brick, and the chase. Freeze-thaw then pops the face brick.
Common crown problems
Hairline cracks, a crown that was poured flat instead of pitched, or a cap that was smeared over brick without a drip edge. After rain, look in the firebox for damp mortar or white efflorescence.
What a repair includes
We remove failed crown material, set a proper pitch, and rebuild with mix that can take weather. If the brick below is spalled, that gets repaired in the same visit so you are not climbing twice.
Schedule chimney crown work before the first hard freeze. Gold Mason handles crowns, liners, and fireplace masonry across North Jersey.
