Chimney crown repair. Stop water damage at the source.
The crown is the concrete or mortar slab on top of your chimney. When it cracks — and most San Diego crowns crack inside 15 years — water runs straight down through the masonry and into your house. We rebuild crowns with proper overhang, drip edge, and a rebar-reinforced pour, or seal good crowns with CrownCoat to extend the life another decade.
What's included in this service?
- Inspection from the roof with photos sent to your phone
- Crown coat sealing for hairline cracks (10-year warranty product)
- Full crown rebuild with reinforced concrete and proper overhang
- Bond break installation between crown and flue tile (prevents future cracking)
- Drip edge formation at the crown perimeter
- Flue tile repair or replacement when accessible from the crown
- Cap installation included with most crown rebuilds
When do you need this service?
- Visible cracks running across the top of the chimney
- Water staining on the exterior brick or interior wall near the chimney
- Mortar joints failing on the upper third of the chimney
- Crown is poured flush to the brick (no overhang) — a built-in failure point
- Crown is mortar instead of concrete (pre-1990 construction in many cases)
- You see daylight through the crown when looking up the flue
What do homeowners ask about Crown Repair?
Crown coat or full rebuild?
Crown coat works on crowns with hairline cracks and intact structure. It is a flexible elastomeric layer that bridges small cracks and waterproofs the surface for 10+ years. Full rebuild is needed when the crown has structural cracks (wider than a credit card), is missing chunks, or was poured wrong from the start with no overhang.
Why does my crown keep cracking?
Two common causes. First, the crown was poured directly on the flue tile with no bond break — when the tile expands during a fire, it cracks the crown. Second, the crown was poured flush to the brick with no overhang, so water sits and freezes in the masonry below. We fix both during a rebuild.
How long does a new crown last?
A properly built reinforced concrete crown with bond break and drip edge will last 30+ years. A mortar wash crown (the old standard) typically fails in 10–15. We use a 4,000 PSI mix with rebar and a polyethylene bond break.
Do you do crowns on prefab chimneys?
Prefab chimneys (the metal-chase ones with a chase cover instead of a crown) need a different repair. We replace failed chase covers with stainless steel, properly sloped with a cricket so water sheds. Same goal — keep water out of the chase. See our Chimney Cap Installation page for chase cover work.
Can crown repair stop my interior leak?
Often yes — if the leak source is the crown. We do a full leak diagnosis first because chimney leaks come from four common places: crown, cap, flashing, and brick face. Fixing the wrong one wastes your money. The diagnosis is included in the inspection fee.
Where do we offer Crown Repair in San Diego County?
We provide crown repair in every city and community in San Diego County. Pick your city for local climate notes and service specifics.
See crown repair in all 48 cities
Homeowners who hired us for this
Bought our 1980s house with no service history on the fireplace. Their camera scan found a cracked clay tile we never would have spotted. Sweep was dust-free — couldn't tell they'd been in our living room. Written report in my inbox the next morning.
Called for a leak that two roofers had blamed on the roof. Their tech ran a hose test and showed me it was the crown — pictures and everything. Crown rebuild stopped the leak the same week. Honest work and clear pricing.
Raccoons in the chimney for two seasons. Other companies wanted to sell me a full inspection package first. Draft Pro came out, installed a stainless cap with proper mesh, and the noises stopped that night. Fair price.
Need crown repair in San Diego County?
Call for a free quote. Most work scheduled within the week.