Can you replace your own chimney cap?
Cracks and spalling in a brick chimney may worsen quickly, but the correction is simple if done on time. Two experts advise maintenance to maintain your chimney in good shape for the rest of your life.
Prepare the Environment
You will have to perform some manual intervention on your roof. Install a tarp beneath the area where you will attempt to protect other portions of your roof or home while restoring your chimney crown.
Take off the Crown
Using a hammer and chisel, gradually separate the shattered crown from the remainder of the chimney. Begin from the exterior and avoid breaking anything near the flu. Take extreme caution, especially in this region. Put the crown’s shattered parts in a bucket.
Make a Crown Combination
Go to the ground to prepare your cap combination. In a wheelbarrow, combine it with a hoe. Slowly add water until the desired consistency is reached. The bonding agent is then added.
Use Cement
In a container, bring the cement up the ladder. Using a trowel, spread the crown mixture on the chimney. Distribute it evenly. Take your time and go all the way around the flue.
Work fast before the material thickens. Stir the contents with the spatula between applications to keep bubbles at bay and uniformity at a high level.
Allow Enough Space
Allow about 2 inches of space on top of the crown for the flue to protrude.
The slope
The flue should be sloped in a pyramid form. Smooth out the cap from the top, right adjacent to the vent, all the way down to the bottom, closest out of the flu. It will aid in the drainage of water out from the chimney, so make it clean and level. It is not necessary to measure it, but the more admirable it appears, the happier you will be.