What is a chimney crown?
A chimney crown is a concrete mix which is intended to protect the area between the chimney and the flue from water damage. If a crown is inspected regularly and maintained properly, any minor deterioration can be caught and patched or repaired before it becomes a major project. Any cracks or deterioration compromise this protection and will lead to more extensive and expensive repairs to the chimney, requiring either tearing down and relaying of bricks and/or repainting. Also be aware that repaired chimneys can never look the same as the original, properly maintained chimney.
