Chimney Cap Installation
Stainless steel caps for brick chimneys and stainless chase tops for chimneys wrapped in siding.
Chimney Crown Repair in Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids Elite Chimney Sweep handles chimney crown repair in Grand Rapids, MI, from sealing hairline cracks to rebuilding a crown that has broken up and no longer sheds water.
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What a Chimney Crown Does
The crown is the sloped cement slab on top of the brick, and a good one hangs over the edge by at least 2 inches. Think of it as the brim of a ball cap: it keeps rain off the face of the brick. When it cracks, the brick underneath takes the weather. We pour our rebuilt crowns about 2 inches thick at the edges.
Grand Rapids gets about 75 inches of snow a year, and all of it melts, freezes and melts again on that slab. Hairline cracks let water in. Once water is in the brick it freezes and pushes. Coating a crown while it's still sound typically costs $350 to $700, while rebuilding one that has broken up runs $800 to $2,200. We coat a sound crown in about 3 hours, and our crown rebuilds take 1 day on the roof.
Call (616) 317-7774 to get a chimney crown looked at.
Questions?Contact UsChimney Crown Repair Options in Grand Rapids
Crown work comes in three sizes. We can tell which one you need from a close look on the roof, with no camera involved.
Crown Coating and Sealing
A flexible coating goes over hairline cracks on a crown that's still solid. It's the cheapest fix, and it works best when you catch the cracks early.
Crown Crack Repair
Cracks wider than a hairline get filled with patching cement first, then the whole top gets coated. The patch alone doesn't hold in a freeze, so the coat goes on top.
Chimney Crown Reconstruction
When the slab has crumbled or pulled away from the flue tile, we break it off and cast a new, sloped one. The new crown is poured to overhang the brick on every side.
Crown Overhang and Drip Edge
The overhang is what throws water off the brick. A new crown gets at least 2 inches of it, so rain drips past the face of the chimney instead of down it.
Crown Repair With a New Cap
A cap sits on the crown, so a fresh crown and a new cap are a natural pair. See chimney cap installation if yours is rusted too.
Crown Check on Every Sweep
When we can safely reach the top, we look at the crown, flashing and mortar joints as part of the sweep. Cracks get a photo in your report.
Chimney Crown Prices in Grand Rapids
- Crown coating on a sound crown: typically $350 to $700
- Crack repair and coating: typically $450 to $900
- Crown rebuild: typically $800 to $2,200
- Time: one day on the roof for most crowns
Typical Grand Rapids ranges for 2026, not a quote. Bigger or multi-flue chimneys cost more.
What Every Crown Repair Includes
- A close look at the crown and the joint where it meets the flue tile
- Wire brushing and cleaning the slab before anything goes on
- Patching or rebuilding the crown as quoted
- A sloped finish so water runs off, with a sealed joint at the flue tile
- A digital report with photos emailed to you
Crown Coat or Crown Rebuild?
| What we see | What we do | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Hairline cracks, slab still solid | Clean and coat | $350 to $700 |
| Wider cracks or a chipped edge | Patch, then coat | $450 to $900 |
| Slab broken up or pulling off the flue tile | Rebuild | $800 to $2,200 |
We'd coat a sound crown any day before we'd sell you a rebuild. The coat is the cheap way to stay out of the expensive one.
What a Failing Crown Looks Like
- Cracks running across the top, often from the flue tile to the edge
- White powder on the brick just below the slab
- A gap between the crown and the clay flue tile
- A crumbling or chipped edge, with bits of cement on the roof
Why Thin Mortar Crowns Fail
Some chimneys were capped with a thin skim of mortar instead of a proper cast slab. It looks like a crown for a few winters, then it cracks and lets go. That's the usual reason we recommend chimney crown replacement instead of a coat.
Why Water Gets So Much Credit
Brick soaks up water, and the Brick Industry Association points to freezing water as a main cause of brick faces flaking off, which is called spalling. One bad winter on a cracked crown can start it. On a bi-level in Kentwood last winter, the crown crack was thin enough to miss from the ground, and the brick below it had already started to peel.
Crown Repair Before Tuckpointing
If the mortar joints need work too, we do the crown first. A leaking crown wets the new joints and you end up paying twice. For the joints, see chimney tuckpointing. For a stain by the fireplace, see chimney leak repair.
Every Visit Ends With a Written Report
A digital report of the camera scan with photos, and repair quotes you can read at the kitchen table. Nothing gets booked until you say so.
Before you book
Chimney Crown Questions
How Long Does a Chimney Crown Last?
A properly cast concrete crown can last decades. A thin mortar skim may crack within a few winters. A coat on a sound crown buys more years, and a camera or roof check each year shows when it's time to renew it.
Can a Crown Be Repaired in Winter?
Cement needs temperatures above freezing to cure properly, so we schedule crown work for mild days. A cold, wet spell means waiting, and a patch that freezes before it sets will fail.
Is a Crown the Same as a Chimney Cap?
No. The crown is the cement slab on top of the brick. The cap is the metal cover with mesh that sits over the flue on top of that slab. A chimney can need either, or both.
Does a Crown Repair Fix a Leaking Chimney?
If the leak comes through the crown, yes. Leaks from the flashing at the roof line or from open mortar joints need other fixes, which is why we trace the water first.
Questions we hear
Chimney Crown FAQs
How much does chimney crown repair cost in Grand Rapids?
Chimney crown repair in Grand Rapids typically costs $350 to $700 to clean and coat a sound crown, $450 to $900 when cracks need patching first, and $800 to $2,200 to rebuild a broken one. Bigger chimneys and ones with several flues cost more than a standard single flue.
What is a chimney crown?
A chimney crown is the sloped cement slab on top of the brick that surrounds the flue tile. Its job is to shed rain and snow away from the brick. A good crown overhangs the brick by at least 2 inches on every side, so water drips off the edge instead of running down the face.
Can a cracked chimney crown be repaired?
Yes, if the slab is still solid. Hairline cracks get cleaned and coated for typically $350 to $700. Wider cracks get patched first. If the crown has crumbled or pulled away from the flue tile, repair won't hold and we rebuild it with a new, sloped slab.
How do I know if my chimney crown is cracked?
Look for cracks across the top, white powder on the brick just below the slab, or a gap where the crown meets the flue tile. From the ground a crack is hard to see, so a roof look during a sweep or inspection is the best check. Cracks get a photo in the report.
Can a bad crown cause a roof leak?
Yes, often. Water that gets into a cracked crown runs down inside the brick and shows up as stains on the ceiling or walls near the fireplace, which looks like a roof leak. The crown is one of the first places we check when a chimney leaks.
What is the difference between sealing and replacing a chimney crown?
Sealing coats a crown that's still solid, and it costs typically $350 to $700. Replacing means breaking off a crown that has crumbled and casting a new one, which runs $800 to $2,200. If a crack is wider than a hairline or the slab sounds hollow, sealing won't last.
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PhotosWith every reportThe camera scan comes back as pictures you can keep, so you can show a roofer, an agent or your spouse.Contact Us
Our Other Chimney Services
Chimney Inspection
Level 1, 2 and 3 inspections with a camera scan of the whole flue and a photo report emailed to you.
Chimney Leak Repair
Flashing, crown, brick or cap: we trace the water first, then fix the part that is letting it in.
Chimney Liner Installation
Cracked clay tile sealed with HeatShield, or a new insulated stainless steel liner the full height of the flue.
Chimney Rebuild
Partial and full rebuilds that take down only the brick that has failed and lay it back up straight.
Chimney Tuckpointing
Crumbling mortar joints ground out and repacked, loose bricks replaced, the top of the stack made tight again.
Where We Do This Work
Chimney service requests
Book Your Sweep, Inspection or Repair Quote
Leave your name, number and a line about the chimney. We call you back during office hours to set a time.
- Camera scan with every sweep
- Written report with photos
- CSIA-certified sweeps on the crew