Stainless steel chimney crown cover

[Chimchimery]

Great, thank you!

So I looked into a mason for the fun of it; my wife isn't thrilled about me doing it myself.

The contractor went up there on the roof and I thought he stated right away he would replace the entire crown. But with his proposal this morning, I am not so sure that is what I am reading for $750.00.

Repair of cracked chimney crown on a one-story home.

• Remove loose and deteriorated concrete from existing chimney crown

• Reseal and rebuild outer flue liner area where concrete has worn away

• Apply new Portland cement for sealing and protection

• Ensure proper slope for water runoff

• (1) Bag of Portland Cement

1-Year workmanship warranty on chimney crown repair

Sounds to me he is just repairing what is up there as I cannot imagine one bag of Portland Cement doing the whole crown???

Does not cover structural movement, weather damage, or lack of maintenance

 

[fire_man]

I never heard of using Portland cement all by itself. It needs to be mixed with an aggregate like sand.
It looks to me like he is doing a patch job for $750 with the wrong material. Or maybe when he says "Portland cement" he really means a mix.

For $750 I'd sneak up there when your wife is not looking and do the job right

 

[Chimchimery]

Even my wife laughed when I shared your comment.

Indeed, turns out the contractor was only re-surfacing the crown. If I wanted to buy myself some time so I can get this tarp off my chimney. What would I use to just resurface the chimney? IE. the proper mix or product. I am not referring to the sealers. But what would I use in terms of a concrete or patch product?

Thank you for all for your inputs.

 

[bholler]

Great, thank you!

So I looked into a mason for the fun of it; my wife isn't thrilled about me doing it myself.

The contractor went up there on the roof and I thought he stated right away he would replace the entire crown. But with his proposal this morning, I am not so sure that is what I am reading for $750.00.

Repair of cracked chimney crown on a one-story home.

• Remove loose and deteriorated concrete from existing chimney crown

• Reseal and rebuild outer flue liner area where concrete has worn away

• Apply new Portland cement for sealing and protection

• Ensure proper slope for water runoff

• (1) Bag of Portland Cement

1-Year workmanship warranty on chimney crown repair

Sounds to me he is just repairing what is up there as I cannot imagine one bag of Portland Cement doing the whole crown???

Does not cover structural movement, weather damage, or lack of maintenance

That is a complete waste of money it will need redone in a few years

 

[Chimchimery]

So my son-in-law had volunteered to help me. He is quite tall. My thought it to patch the crown, then order a stainless chase covering the crown except the flue. When it arrives ask him to help me install it.

This would get the tarp off the chimney. Just wonder what I should patch it with? Looks like 3 to 1 (Sand to Portland Cement) and maybe add some SikaLatex 1 Gal. Concrete Bonding Adhesive and Acrylic Fortifier. Just have to find the right balance of water.

I am thinking for the holes put some 1/4 chicken mesh right above them to keep the mix from falling in. Again this it temporary as I then will order my chase.

I see two different sand products. Is the Sand/Topping Mix the one I should get?

SAKRETE
60 lb. Sand Mix
Seems to have cement already in it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAKRETE-60-lb-Sand-Mix-65306217/100350697?MERCH=REC-_-pip_alternatives-_-100318505-_-0-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a#see-more-details

or
Quikrete
60 lb. Sand/Topping Mix
Looks like just sand

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-60-lb-Sand-Topping-Mix-110360/100318505#see-more-details

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[Chimchimery]

Ok, I have been getting an "education" on cement and sand products. Excuse my ignorance. So Sand/Mix products are a combination of sand and cement. IE. Pre-mixed.

So trying to go the route of 3 parts sand and 1 part cement, I found the sand easy enough. The bags of cement have been more difficult to find. Lowes has Amerimix Portland Cement 94 -lb IL Cement. Another box store has I see some masonry cement type N and type S, but assume that is for brick laying. LOL.

 

[fire_man]

If it were me I'd just get a bag of Type N Mortar and patch with that. You are just trying to repair the crumbling crown which will then be covered with the SS cover. Type S is used for structural repairs which is also fine. Honestly I don't think it matters. You just need to make the crown sound so the the SS cover is supported. Someone can chime in and disagree but my experience and research says Type N or S will work in this application. If you were pouring a crown it would be different.

 

[Chimchimery]

Thank you. Watching all these videos has me curious about two additional things. What is the 'blue wrap' called that people are using around the flue prior to putting in the concrete mix. And I saw one video, the crown bond break looked simply to be some black mill material vapor barrier.

 

[bholler]

Thank you. Watching all these videos has me curious about two additional things. What is the 'blue wrap' called that people are using around the flue prior to putting in the concrete mix. And I saw one video, the crown bond break looked simply to be some black mill material vapor barrier.

Sill seal is used around the liner. Just plastic sheeting under the slab ontop of the chimney

 

[Chimchimery]

Thank you! Curious also, do they build those frames on the ground and then tighten them down when placed around chimney?

I still have my options open at this time so hence my interest. Too windy to get on the roof today, but I want to really take a long look at my situation.

 

[bholler]

Thank you! Curious also, do they build those frames on the ground and then tighten them down when placed around chimney?

I still have my options open at this time so hence my interest. Too windy to get on the roof today, but I want to really take a long look at my situation.

I typically use metal adjustable forms. But when I need to use wood I usually attach the 2x4s on the ends with a couple tapcons then attach everything to them

 

[fire_man]

The blue wrap is for an expansion joint so the flue wont crack. Mine was built without it and never cracked but was never used as a fireplace, the Wood stove always had a SS liner which must have prevented thermal expansion of the clay liner.
I honestly don't know what the purpose of the plastic sheet is.

 

[Chimchimery]

I see. Like this guy did at 35 seconds into the video

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One of the comments on the latter video stated he avoided screwing into masonry, but I could not visualize it.

"’ll generally use 2x4s at the base cut to the length and width of the chimney to create the drip edge and then screw in with 2x6s attached to them on the outside to contain the concrete . That way I’m not having to drill into the masonry at all. I also have a metal set of forms I purchased from Copperfield Chimney Supply years ago that also work great and are still holding up well . Keep up the great videos sir !"

 

[Chimchimery]

My son-in-law comes over tomorrow for us to decide the master plan. One of the practical questions I discovered is how one mixes all that cement. If I went with a sand/mix prior to a chase for long-term, I would need about 8 bags to do 6' x 3' - 2 inches deep. I would think it would start drying before I was finished getting it all spread out. That's a lot too to carry up the roof. -- I can't imagine how one does a full crown. That would be a cement, sand and gravel mixture even deeper.

 

[fire_man]

My son-in-law comes over tomorrow for us to decide the master plan. One of the practical questions I discovered is how one mixes all that cement. If I went with a sand/mix prior to a chase for long-term, I would need about 8 bags to do 6' x 3' - 2 inches deep. I would think it would start drying before I was finished getting it all spread out. That's a lot too to carry up the roof. -- I can't imagine how one does a full crown. That would be a cement, sand and gravel mixture even deeper.

The idea of smashing out the old crown, mixing all that cement, hauling it up 2 stories, building the form and internal rebar.....all led me to the simple <$600 SS cover solution. Sure a solid Masonry Crown looks better but I never thought twice I should have gone the other way.

The hardest parts for me was making sure my measurements for the cover were absolutely correct, and figuring out how to get the cover to sit properly while fastening.

 

[Chimchimery]

LOl. Yes, I have done some "first draft" measuring. We made a tarp cover from those measurements and it fit well (with added length and width for overhand). Wonder if it is worth it to add sand/mix so I can just sit the chase cover on an even surface. IE. Make the current crown flat. Though as you see, I did pickup some 3' adjustable clamps.

 

[fire_man]

Those clamps are exactly what I was talking about. Leveling the crown would make installation easier but all that extra work is not necessary if you use the clamps.

 

[Chimchimery]

AS an update. My very tall son-in-law came over and he measured, I measured independently and then we used a digital measuring unit together. Tomorrow with a fresh mind I'll compare all the results.

After much thought and hours or research; and since I had two independent chimney inspectors stating I should not use the fireplace to burn wood or vented gas logs (without of course their $3k price tags); and since it had been capped for 22 years with a solid steel box cover over the flue (1/2" steel it turns out and very heavy); I decided to cover the chimney top with a chase with no flue vent. So we also used a grinder and cut the flue flush with the crown. I'll order the chase with no opening.

I can later add an electric fireplace insert or a natural gas vent-less fireplace insert. Both don't need a chimney.

Next 'tricky' part besides using the great clamp idea, is to make sure we get those tapcon screws in the right places in the mortar when the chase arrives. And to fill an caps between it and the chimney with something that will be sufficient for a long time.

 

[fire_man]

I hope I didn't steer you wrong getting the clamps. It's possible your cover is smaller and less flexible and the crown not as steep, and it will sit properly without them. My chase cover dimensions were huge. The Tapcons should be easy to line up into the mortar, that was the least of my problems. It's good you got two independent sets of measurements. Measure once and cut twice, or did I get that wrong

 

[Chimchimery]

I am very good with the clamps! (Harbor Freight so they were not expensive). As you see in the picture I posted earlier, they made securing the tarp over the crown easy and neater looking. Even my son-in-law commented bragged how they made securing the tarp easier after we put another piece to cover where the flue used to stick out.

My crown top is L70-3/8 x W29-5/8 on left side and the other right side is 28-1/2. So I have to go for the W29-5/8.

One key measurement was from the top of the crown to the top of the first brick. Using a level on the top (where we cut the flue flush with the crown) we came up with 2.5." I think the chases' come with a raised surface with even beveled ridges on the top. Figuring out the length of the skirt is the next step to figure out.

Here are two pictures of chases. The one without a flue is sort of what I am thinking to install. I'll take any pointers you can give me.

 

[stoveliker]

For the future, I would not do a ventless gas insert. It vents the gases (a lot of water, combustion products, so CO2 and anything else if combustion is not perfect, which it never is, and if things go wrong CO) into your room.

 

[Chimchimery]

We hardly ever used our older style ventless gas logs. The idea is a backup if we have a power failure in the winter, we would have heat. We have a gas furnace and the natural gas line is already hooked up in the chimney. I have the line capped now with the chimney currently vacant. The two chimney inspectors said to go the insert models in the future.

 

[bholler]

We hardly ever used our older style ventless gas logs. The idea is a backup if we have a power failure in the winter, we would have heat. We have a gas furnace and the natural gas line is already hooked up in the chimney. I have the line capped now with the chimney currently vacant. The two chimney inspectors said to go the insert models in the future.

Go with a vented insert then not ventless

 

[Chimchimery]

A little confused. Vent-less = vent-free which we have currently have as pictured.

Vented means I would need a working chimney. Unless you meant a vent-less insert.

 

[bholler]

A little confused. Vent-less = vent-free which we have currently have as pictured.

Vented means I would need a working chimney. Unless you meant a vent-less insert.

A vented insert would be installed with an intake and exhaust liner