Repouring or repairing a chimney crown

Understanding the Importance of a Chimney Crown

A chimney crown is the concrete top of a chimney, essential for protecting your home from water damage. A damaged or missing crown can lead to water infiltration, which can cause significant damage to your chimney, roof, and interior walls. The problems with most crowns is they were poured with masonry meant for tuck pointing and noy cement that is meant for crowns.

When to Repair or Repour a Chimney Crown

  • Visible Cracks: These can allow water to seep into the chimney.
  • Missing Mortar: Exposed brick or concrete can deteriorate quickly.
  • Spalling: This is when chunks of material break off the crown.
  • Excessive Wear and Tear: If the crown is old and worn, it may need to be replaced.

DIY Repair vs. Professional Help

While minor repairs can be done by a skilled DIYer, major repairs or a complete repour are best left to professionals. Factors like the extent of damage, local building codes, and safety considerations should be taken into account.

Scope of Work for repair

  1. Clean the Crown: Remove loose debris and moss with a wire brush.
  2. Patch Small Cracks: Use a high-quality masonry repair mortar.
  3. Seal the Crown with Crown Coat: CrownCoat® Brushable Sealant is a fast setting elastomeric coating that forms a flexible waterproof membrane. CrownCoat is specifically formulated to repair and protect chimney crowns with cracks less than ½ inch from water intrusion.

Professional Crown Repouring

If the damage is significant, a complete re-pour is necessary. This involves:

  1. Removing the Old Crown: This can be a labor-intensive process, often requiring specialized tools and equipment.
  2. Preparing the Surface: The chimney top must be clean and free of debris. A form must be formed
  3. Pouring New Concrete: A high-quality, weather-resistant concrete mix is used to create a new crown. Include a drip edge on the crown to force water away from the chimney and down to the shingles. Always include an expansion joint around the top tile.
  1. Finishing and Curing: The new crown is shaped and allowed to cure properly.

Additional Tips:

  • Regular Inspections: Inspect your chimney crown annually for signs of damage.
  • Professional Cleaning: Schedule regular chimney cleaning to remove creosote buildup.
  • Consider a Chimney Cap: A chimney cap can further protect your chimney from water damage and debris. A multiflued cap that protects the entire crown will add ultimate protection to your crown and chimney.

By taking the necessary steps to repair or repour your chimney crown, you can protect your home and ensure the longevity of your chimney. If you’re unsure about any aspect of the process, call Best Cincinnati Chimney for a consultation.

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Flashing: The Unsung Hero of Your Chimney

A well-functioning chimney is essential for a safe and efficient home. While the chimney itself is a crucial component, the often-overlooked flashing plays a vital role in protecting your home from water damage.

What is Chimney Flashing? Chimney flashing is a specialized material, typically metal, that is installed around the base and sides of a chimney to prevent water from seeping into your home. It acts as a barrier, redirecting water away from vulnerable areas.

Why is Chimney Flashing Important?

  1. Water Damage Prevention:
    • Roof Leaks: A poorly installed or damaged flashing can lead to water seeping into your roof and attic, causing structural damage and mold growth.
    • Wall Damage: Water can also infiltrate your walls, leading to unsightly stains, weakened structural integrity, and potential health hazards.
  2. Energy Efficiency:
    • Heat Loss: Water damage can compromise the insulation around your chimney, leading to heat loss and increased energy bills.
  3. Safety:
    • Fire Hazards: Water damage can weaken the structural integrity of your chimney, increasing the risk of chimney fires.

Types of Chimney Flashing There are several types of flashing, each with its own specific purpose:

  • Step Flashing: This type of flashing is installed in layers, overlapping each other to create a watertight seal.
  • Counter Flashing: This flashing is installed over the step flashing to create an additional layer of protection.
  • Flash Seal: FlashSeal™ is a versatile and easy-to-use flashing repair system that, when dry, forms a flexible, waterproof membrane. It’s formulated for permanent adhesion to asphalt shingles, metal flashings, brick, and other chimney and roofing materials. Use FlashSeal to solve problem leaks around the base of chimneys, stacks, and vents. It is also great for sealing around skylights.

Regular Chimney Inspections Regular chimney inspections are crucial to identify any issues with your flashing or other components. A certified chimney sweep can assess the condition of your flashing and recommend necessary repairs or replacements.

By prioritizing chimney flashing and regular inspections, you can protect your home from water damage, maintain energy efficiency, and ensure the safety of your family. Call Best Cincinnati Chimney today to determine if you need a flashing repair. 513-474-1158

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Repairing or Replacing a Retaining Wall

Retaining walls can a very tricky fix in the masonry world. There is no one-size-fits-all scenario for retaining wall repair or replacement. It all depends on the condition of the wall and how it was constructed in the first place.

A well-built retaining wall:

  • Features a robust footing to anchor the wall into place (18 to 24 inches deep)
  • Has CMU Blocks reinforced with rebar at regular intervals for structural integrity
  • Is strong enough to sustain the lateral load. (The weight behind it)
  • Has weepholes and no significant lean. Drainage is very important to the freeze thaw cycle.

In contrast, a poorly built retaining wall:

  • Has a shallow, insufficient footing
  • Is not reinforced with rebar or built with brick
  • Has no weepholes and demonstrates significant lean (8% to 9%)    
  • Has cracks wider than a quarter-inch (Slide a quarter in the crack)
  • Heavy brick flaking/spalling/ masonry gaps are turning to dust
What is a retaining wall? A retaining wall is a strong, solid barrier utilized to support soil laterally so as to “retain” the soil at two separate  levels on either border. These structures are designed to harness soil to a slope that would otherwise naturally not exist. Retaining walls are a favorite form of slope stabilization. Retaining walls used to separate water from land are called bulkheads.

So the question is:

  • Should You Fix Your Retaining Wall?
  • Should You Replace Your Retaining Wall?
  • Should You Tear Down Your Retaining Wall?

Should You Fix Your Retaining Wall?

Just putting a masonry patch on a retaining wall may make it look better but it won’t solve the issue that caused the problem in the first place. You should fix your retaining wall if the structural integrity of the wall can sustain a repair and/or if it’s cheaper than building a new retaining wall.

It may sound counterintuitive, but fixing a retaining wall is not always the cheapest option.

Retaining walls fail because they are unable to sustain the load that is forced upon them. Primarily, this is due to expansive soil. Expansive soil expands and shrinks in direct correlation to water saturation.

Water makes everything heavier, including the dirt caged up behind your retaining wall. If your retaining wall has no weepholes, then it’s very likely to fail.

Not enough weepholes or drainpipes is a big reason why retaining walls lean. A leaning wall will eventually collapse.

We can repair retaining walls by adding weeping holes, utilizing Helical Tiebacks, Vertical Piers, or waler beams, based on your needs.

However, it’s imperative that the wall is able to survive the repair and sustain it. You can’t implement tiebacks on a wall that wasn’t built correctly because the wall will crumble around it.

Yes, the helical will stay in place (they can sustain 74,000 pounds of pressure), but the wall will concave.

So, yes, it is worth it to fix a retaining wall if it can sustain the repair. However, some of our clients would like the wall returned to sit at a clean 90-degree angle. This involves heavy excavation work behind the wall and jacks up the final price line immensely. This price jump can even be more than the cost of putting in a new retaining wall.

We recommend stabilization only. While it is possible for us to return a retaining wall back to square, it’s not cost-effective.

We suggest – leave the wall crooked. It will hold with our repair.

Should You Replace Your Retaining Wall?

If your retaining wall cannot sustain the repair or (as it occasionally turns out) it’s cheaper to build a new retaining wall than repair – then yes, we suggest you do replace your retaining wall.

There are a few things that you might consider that might get in the way of a repair and create a limited access.

These are:

  • Trees and heavy foliage
  • Another wall on the other side of your retaining wall
  • Fences that back up to the retaining wall

Should You Tear Down Your Retaining Wall all together?

Probably not. We can only guess why that wall was put up, but there was probably a reason it is there.

If you can’t afford repair or a new wall, it’s not a good idea to eliminate the primary source of retention with no backup plan. It will probably cost you more in the end.

Unless the hillside slope is going to be bulldozed or leveled, a failing retaining wall is better than no retaining wall.

In conclusion:

  • You should repair your retaining wall if it can sustain the repairs and if the repairs are cheaper than a complete rebuild.
  • You should build a new retaining wall if the old wall is unsalvageable.
  • You should never remove an old wall without a plan for how to hold the slope.

Call us at Best Cincinnati Chimney at 513-474-1158 and we can put some eyes on your project and give the best alternatives for your retaining wall.

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