Crown cracks and separation from the flue
Why it happens here
East Franklin's freeze-thaw cycle is hard on concrete crowns, especially older ones poured without a proper slope. Water sits on the crown, freezes, and expands, cracking the concrete and eventually separating it from the flue. This is the number one leak source we find here.
Our approach
We rebuild crowns with the correct slope and a flexible sealant at the flue joint so the crown can move with temperature changes. For minor cracks, we use a crown sealant that bonds and flexes. Either way, the fix is designed for this climate.