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Chimney Crown Rebuild in Monroe, WA
Proper overhanging crowns for Monroe's older brick chimneys, starting at $299. Free quote, price match plus 10-25% off.
- Serving Monroe & Snohomish County
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
Free Chimney Crown Rebuild Quote in Monroe
We'll confirm a time by phone or text.
Most of the brick chimneys on Monroe's older homes, the ones around Main Street, Lewis Street and the farm roads along the Skykomish and Snohomish rivers, were topped with a mortar wash: leftover mortar troweled flat across the top. It is thin, it has no overhang, and it is bonded hard to the flue tile, so when the tile expands with a fire the crown cracks in a ring. Water then runs off the edge straight down the brick face and into the cracks, and after enough Monroe winters the crown crumbles into pieces you can lift off by hand.
We rebuild it properly: forms set around the top course, a reinforced crown mix poured at least a couple of inches thick, sloped away from the flue, with an overhang and drip edge that throws water clear of the brick and a bond break around the tile so the next fire does not crack it. A Monroe crown rebuild starts at $299 with a free quote, and if you already have a bid we give a free second opinion and price match plus 10-25% off. We are about 55 minutes from Renton, route Monroe with Snohomish, and often schedule the same day. If you are not happy with the crown, we are not done.
Symptoms
Signs Monroe 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
Monroe Conditions
Why this happens in Monroe
The crown is the one chimney surface that holds standing water, which is why Monroe crowns go first. Sea-Tac's 1991-2020 normals show 40.34 inches of precipitation a year with about 73 percent of it October through March, so a flat mortar-wash crown sits wet for roughly half the year. The region records about 60 days a year that touch 32F while winter lows average about 37F, so the water in those cracks freezes overnight and thaws by midday again and again. The Brick Industry Association notes that saturated masonry that freezes can crack, craze and spall, and the crown is the most saturated part.
Timing matters for the rebuild. A poured crown needs dry weather to cure, and July and August, at 0.60 and 0.97 inches, give the longest reliable dry stretch. We can rebuild during a break in spring or fall weather, but summer is when a Monroe crown gets its best cure before the November rains, which at 6.31 inches are the heaviest of the year.
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 Monroe?
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Chimney Crown Rebuild in Monroe — FAQ
How do I know my Monroe chimney crown needs a rebuild instead of a sealer?
If the crown is a thin mortar wash with no overhang, sealing just delays the same failure. Sealer is fine on a thick, properly formed crown with a few hairline cracks. When we look at a Monroe chimney we photograph the crown and tell you which you have. A full rebuild starts at $299, and the quote is free either way.
When is the best time of year to rebuild a crown in Monroe?
Summer. July and August are the driest months in the region at well under an inch each, which gives the new crown time to cure before fall. If a crown is actively leaking in winter we can still pour during a dry window and protect it, but if you have the choice, book a Monroe crown rebuild between June and September.
How soon can you do chimney crown rebuild in Monroe?
We confirm a time by phone or text after you request a quote; same-day service is often available for urgent problems in Monroe and the rest of Snohomish County.
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