If you are here, you are probably wondering about how chimney crown are made and what’s the importance of them, if you wonder all this, this is the right place to explore all the basic details of a chimney crown.
Introduction:
A chimney crown is a concrete cover that sits on top of the brick on a masonry chimney. The crown is used to prevent water from coming into the chimney and deteriorate the masonry or leak into the house. A good chimney crown will increase the life span of a chimney by protecting it from water, (the main culprit of chimney damage) it operates as a shield against extreme weather conditions like heavy rain or floods. If you want to learn more about chimney crowns, the importance of it, and what to do if it’s damaged, glide through this article, which sheds light on all the aspects of the chimney crown.
What is a Chimney Crown?
The chimney crown is the upper part of a chimney, and its body is composed of concrete. Its construction matters the most, a well-constructed chimney crown prevents precipitation from entering your fireplace or house. There are two ways to make a crown, a pour in crown which is poured into metal or wood framing, or a wash, which means its built by hand and tools with no framing. A pour in chimney crown must overhang past the brick, and a wash crown is made to the brick edge and both will diverts the water to the roof, where it can easily drain into gutters.
The main purpose of a chimney crown is to keep the water flowing away from the chimney. So, it’s better to build a crown with a slight downward slope instead of a flat crown (it fails to function properly). To avoid larger cracks, chimney crowns are also constructed with mesh or reinforcing steel along with concrete. Because cracked chimney crowns fail to stop water from getting into the chimney or the house.
Why Chimney Crown is Considered Important?
If a chimney crown is absent, your chimney, fireplace and house are directly exposed to water from rain and melted snow. This water takes its way into your chimney, freezes quickly during winter, and creates several issues. Water, when it freezes, expands up to 10% and becomes a cause of cracks in bricks that deteriorate over time. This kind of spalling damage also becomes possible with a small amount of water. overtime, the masonry will deteriorate and will need more expensive repairs and many times a rebuild of the chimney which is an expensive and elaborate process.
Apart from that, there are countless benefits of chimney crown. Let’s have a brief look at all!
⦁ It aids in protecting the masonry from water damage.
⦁ The chimney crown proves beneficial in restricting the entrance of water into the chimney.
⦁ Another great benefit is that the crown safeguards the entire chimney system from sparks that may cause a fire.
⦁ It also maintains the airflow up and into the chimney flue, and in turn, the chimney’s efficiency gets optimized.
⦁ It plays a major role in maximizing the lifespan of a chimney.
All these benefits clearly show why a chimney crown is considered the most important part of a fireplace.
Chimney Crown Repair:
The experts in the chimney industry believe that water is the major cause of damage to a chimney system. Factual data reveals that the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) entitled water as the biggest foe of a chimney structure. Being a top part, the chimney crown bears the violent elements and is specifically vulnerable to tire-out and cracks. Here, the main question is what to do if the chimney crown is damaged or cracked. A strong recommendation is directed toward chimney crown repair to prevent precipitation. Except for that, spalling is a countable factor indicating that the crown needs repair.
Spalling occurs when masonry on the chimney crown begins to break and peel off or crack. If you inspect any signs of damage due to water or evidence of water infiltration like staining or inflorescence, the crown needs immediate repair. However, hiring a certified team of experts is a must to have satisfactory repair services. If you are not sure about the cause of the damage, contact professionals to inspect your chimney’s crown thoroughly, the experts will recommend the best solution according to the crown’s condition.
Chimney Crown Rebuilding:
All sorts of damages and decays of the entire chimney system are linked up with the entrance of water. Unfortunately, most of the damage occurs before you are aware. There are different ways to stop progressing damage and eliminate it, if the cracks are small we can make a restoration or a crown repair, when the cracks are too deep the best solution is rebuilding a well-constructed and well-maintained concrete crown. The process of building a good chimney crown is elaborate and takes skill, when done improperly, you might find yourself having to repeat that process within less than 10 years. It is important to use the right materials when building a chimney crown, to slope the edges, to reinforce it with metal, to do it at the right temperature, to let it cure the right way and much more.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the entire chimney system revolves around the chimney crown, built with concrete on the top of a chimney. Its importance lies in its function because it acts as a water protector and increases the efficiency and lifespan of a chimney. Crown is a gateway, diverting water (from melted snow and rainfall) away from chimneys. Bear in mind that any damage to the crown may lead to severe decays to the chimney, and then repairing or rebuilding it becomes a need. For better inspection and suggestions, do contact a qualified and certified team of experts. Untrained staff build improper crowns that don’t stand for longer and fail to function properly.
