Home › Service Areas › University Place › Chimney Crown Rebuild
Chimney Crown Rebuild in University Place, WA
A crown built to shed sideways rain. University Place crown rebuilds starting at $299.
- Serving University Place & Pierce County
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
Free Chimney Crown Rebuild Quote in University Place
We'll confirm a time by phone or text.
The crown on a University Place chimney gets hit from two directions: rain falling on it and rain blowing into it off the water. A thin mortar wash, which is what most mid-century masonry chimneys here were finished with, has no overhang and no slope to speak of, so water sits on it, works into its cracks, and runs down the face of the brick. We rebuild crowns to shed water: a formed crown that overhangs the brick on all sides with a drip kerf underneath, sloped from the flue to the edge, with a bond break around the tile so the liner can move without cracking the crown. Where the top courses under the old crown have already spalled, we replace those bricks first.
Crown rebuilds in University Place start at $299 and come with a free quote and photos of the top before and after. If another company has quoted you a full rebuild when a crown is all you need, our second-opinion quote is free, and we price match and take 10-25% off. We drive from Renton in about 40 minutes and schedule crown work for dry days. If you're not happy with the result, we're not done.
Symptoms
Signs University Place 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
University Place Conditions
Why this happens in University Place
University Place crowns catch the full year of Sea-Tac rain, 40.34 inches, with about 73% of it in the six months from October through March. Nothing shades a crown from rain, and on the bluff nothing shades it from wind either. Winter lows average around 37F, so water that pools on a cracked crown freezes on roughly 60 nights a year and thaws the following day. The Brick Industry Association documents that cycle on saturated masonry as the cause of cracking and spalling, which is what we find under most failed crowns here.
The older ramblers and view homes, similar in age to Tacoma and Lakewood stock from the 1960s and 70s, typically have wide masonry chimneys with a large crown surface. A bigger crown pools more water. A proper slope and overhang matter more on these than on a narrow flue, and the best time to pour one is the dry stretch between July and September.
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 University Place?
Call now or request a free quote — we confirm by phone or text.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Crown Rebuild in University Place — FAQ
Why did the crown on our University Place chimney crack again two years after it was sealed?
A sealer over a crown that has no slope or overhang only delays the problem. Water still pools, freezes and lifts the coating. Once the cracks are wide or the edges are breaking off, the crown has to be rebuilt with the right shape. We show you the top on the free quote visit so you can see whether yours has reached that point.
Does a crown rebuild include a new cap?
They are separate items, but we almost always recommend doing them together. The crown keeps water off the brick; the cap keeps rain, wind and animals out of the flue itself. Adding a stainless cap while the crew is already on the roof costs less than a second trip. The quote lists each piece separately so you can decide.
How soon can you do chimney crown rebuild in University Place?
We confirm a time by phone or text after you request a quote; same-day service is often available for urgent problems in University Place and the rest of Pierce County.
Other services in University Place
Chimney Crown Rebuild nearby