Chimney caps and crowns
Three different parts, three different jobs, and almost nobody uses the words correctly — including some of the people quoting you.
Cap, chase cover, crown — the difference
The capThe metal lid with mesh sides that sits over the flue opening. Keeps out rain, birds and embers. The cheapest part of the chimney and the one that prevents the most expensive damage.
The crownThe sloped concrete or mortar slab across the top of a masonry chimney. It sheds water away from the brick. When it cracks, water goes into the structure.
The chase coverThe metal top on a framed chimney chase — the boxed kind on newer houses. Not a crown. When the cheap galvanized ones rust through, water pours straight down inside the chase.
Why the mix-up mattersA quote for a “crown” on a house that has a chase cover is a quote written by someone who did not go up on the roof.
How you know yours has gone
- Rain sound inside the firebox, or water in the ash
- Rust streaks down the outside of the chimney — usually the chase cover
- Birds, or the sound of them, above the damper in spring
- White chalky staining on the brick, which is water moving through masonry
- Chunks of concrete in the gutter or on the roof below the chimney
Cap replacement $200 – $850 · crown repair or rebuild around $1,550. Rangos de mercado 2026 para la zona.
A safer chimney starts with an honest look at it.
Booking takes a minute. Peak season here runs September through November.