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Chimney Crown Rebuild in Kenmore, WA
Replacing the cracked mortar wash on Kenmore's mid-century brick chimneys with a proper poured crown. Starting at $299.
- Serving Kenmore & King County
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
Free Chimney Crown Rebuild Quote in Kenmore
We'll confirm a time by phone or text.
Kenmore's older brick chimneys, on the 1950s-70s homes in Uplake and Arrowhead and on the lakeside streets off 68th Ave NE, were typically topped with a thin mortar wash smeared flat against the flue tile. After decades of storms coming up the lake, that wash has cracked on nearly every one we see, and the crack is the main way water gets into the brick below. We remove the failed wash, form and pour a new crown that overhangs the brick with a drip edge on all four sides, and leave a bond-break gap around the flue tile so the tile can expand without splitting the new crown.
A crown rebuild starts at $299. The quote is free, and if someone has told you the top of the chimney needs to come down, we will give a free second-opinion quote, because on a lot of these chimneys the brick under the crown is sound once the crown is replaced. We price match and take 10 to 25 percent off any written bid. Kenmore is about 35 minutes from our North Renton office by I-405 and SR 522, and we schedule it with Bothell and Lake Forest Park crown work so the pour lands on a dry day.
Symptoms
Signs Kenmore homeowners notice
- Pieces of concrete or mortar missing from the top edge of the chimney
- Cracks wide enough to see daylight or fit a coin into
- The crown is flat or dished in the middle so water pools on it
- No overhang: the slab ends flush with the brick faces
- The top two or three courses of brick are spalling or loose
- A previous crown sealant is peeling off and the cracks underneath have reopened
Kenmore Conditions
Why this happens in Kenmore
A crown at the north end of Lake Washington gets the worst of the lake weather. Storms travel the length of the lake and break on the Kenmore shore, so a crown on an Uplake or Arrowhead chimney is hit with wind-driven rain rather than a gentle fall. The area's 40.34 inches a year land mostly between October and March, about 29.65 inches, and measurable rain falls on roughly 150-156 days, so a flat mortar wash almost never dries out in winter.
Freezing nights do the damage. Kenmore sees about 60 days a year that touch 32F with lows averaging 37-38F, so water in a crown crack freezes after dark and thaws by late morning, widening the crack with each cycle and pushing water into the top courses. Up the hill near Saint Edward State Park, moss on a shaded crown holds even more water against it. An overhanging poured crown sheds all of that off the brick, which is why we build every one that way.
How It Works
Our chimney crown rebuild process
Remove the failed crown
We break out the old slab or mortar wash down to solid brick, protecting the flue opening so debris does not fall into the chimney.
Repair the top courses
Any loose or spalled brick in the top courses is reset or replaced so the new crown sits on sound masonry.
Form with overhang and slope
We build a form that projects past the brick faces on all sides and slopes the surface away from the flue so water runs off instead of sitting.
Pour and finish
The crown is poured in a single placement with a bond break around the flue tile so heat expansion does not crack it, and a drip edge is formed on the underside of the overhang.
Cure and seal
Once cured, we apply a breathable water repellent and, where useful, a flexible sealant at the flue joint. A new cap goes on if the old one is damaged.
Full details, options and pricing factors on the main Chimney Crown Rebuild page.
Need chimney crown rebuild in Kenmore?
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Chimney Crown Rebuild in Kenmore — FAQ
How long will a new crown last on a lakeside Kenmore chimney?
A properly poured crown with an overhang, a drip edge and an expansion gap around the tile is built to outlast the mortar wash it replaces by a wide margin, even on the Uplake shore. We seal it after it cures and recommend a cap so water is not pooling on it. If you are not happy with the result, we are not done.
Can you rebuild my Kenmore crown during the rainy season?
Often, yes. We watch for a dry window of a day or two, which happens even in winter, and pour then. If the forecast will not cooperate we seal the cracked crown temporarily so the brick stops taking water and schedule the pour for the next dry stretch. July and August, at under an inch of rain each, are easiest.
How soon can you do chimney crown rebuild in Kenmore?
We confirm a time by phone or text after you request a quote; same-day service is often available for urgent problems in Kenmore and the rest of King County.
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