Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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Before
AfterTrusted Chimney Cap & Crown for Brentwood Homeowners
A chimney cap and crown are the two things standing between your flue and Long Island weather. When they fail, water gets in, and water is what turns a $300 repair into a $3,000 rebuild. That’s the honest truth we’ve learned in 29 years of working on Brentwood chimneys.
Wendell Pike founded Top Hat Chimney in 1999, and he still answers the phone most days. We’re the locally owned, owner-operated crew that shows up with a published license number, a written quote before any work starts, and a 90-Day Done Right Promise on every single job. If it’s not done right, one call brings us back at no charge. For chimney cap and crown work in Brentwood, call (934) 935-3847 and you’ll get a live person, not a voicemail box.
What Our Chimney Cap & Crown Service Includes
Most Brentwood homes we visit have some combination of cap and crown problems. Rarely is it just one or the other. Here’s exactly what we do, broken down by the specific job.
Cap Installation
A chimney cap sits on top of the flue and keeps rain, leaves, birds, and embers out while still letting smoke escape. If you don’t have one, or the one you have is rusted through, you’re inviting water and animals into your home. We measure the flue precisely, match the right cap material for your fuel type, and install it with mechanical fasteners that hold up in coastal wind. Every cap we install gets checked with a camera before we call the job done.
Cap Replacement
Caps wear out, especially galvanized ones exposed to Brentwood’s freeze-thaw cycles and salt air. A replacement is straightforward: we remove the old cap, inspect the flue tile underneath for damage, and install a proper-fitting replacement sized to your flue’s exact dimensions. We stock caps from Famco and Copperfield and can order custom sizes for oddball flues. When the old cap has been missing long enough that the flue tile is damaged, we’ll tell you and show you the camera footage before we recommend anything else.
Crown Repair
The crown is the concrete slab that caps the top of the chimney structure itself, not the flue. On Long Island, crowns crack constantly from freeze-thaw stress. Hairline cracks let water seep into the masonry, and once water gets behind brick, you lose a brick or two every winter. We repair crowns by cleaning out the cracks, filling them with a flexible sealant rated for chimney use, and resurfacing when necessary. For crowns that are too far gone, we’ll pour and form a new crown with the proper overhang so water sheds away from the masonry.
Crown Coating
When the crown is structurally sound but the surface has turned porous, a crown coating beats a full replacement. We apply a waterproof elastomeric coating that bonds to the concrete and flexes with temperature changes, so the crown stays sealed through Long Island winters. Coating works best on crowns that haven’t yet cracked badly. If the crown is already spalling and crumbling, a coating won’t save it, and we’ll tell you that plainly instead of selling you a band-aid.
Multi-Flue Cap
Brentwood ranches and colonials often have chimneys serving both a fireplace and a furnace flue. A multi-flue cap covers both openings from a single unit mounted to the crown. It keeps rain out of both flues and stops downdrafts that push smoke back into the house on windy days. We measure both flues, check clearance between them, and install a cap with the right spacing so neither flue crowds the other. Proper draft on both sides matters more than most people realize.
Custom Cap
Sometimes the chimney isn’t a standard size. A 1960s split-level in Brentwood might have a flue that no off-the-shelf cap fits. We’ll fabricate a custom cap from stainless steel or copper, built to your chimney’s exact measurements, with the right mesh size for your fuel type. Custom caps cost more than stock, but they’re the only way to properly protect an unusual flue. We’ll show you the measurement and the quote before we order anything.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service for Chimney Cap & Crown
We work with Famco and Copperfield caps more than anything else, because they hold up. Famco makes a solid stainless cap with a lifetime warranty on the metal, and we’ve installed enough of them that we can quote a Famco installation over the phone once we know your flue size. Copperfield caps are the choice when you want copper that ages into that dark patina, and we’ve put plenty of those on Brentwood chimneys where the homeowner wants something that looks as good as it works.
Beyond caps, we use HeatShield for crown resurfacing and flue sealing when a crown has failed badly enough that moisture has gotten into the flue itself. Whether your chimney has a Famco, Copperfield, or any other make of cap, or no cap at all, we can repair or replace what’s there.
Signs You Need Chimney Cap & Crown Right Now
- You can see daylight through the top of your chimney cap. A cap that’s rusted through or blown off means rain, snow, and birds have a clear path into your flue. This is the most obvious sign and the one that gets ignored the longest, usually until water shows up on the ceiling.
- Water stains on the ceiling or wall near the fireplace. By the time water reaches drywall, it has already been working through your chimney for a while. The crown or cap failed first, and everything after that is just damage moving downhill. Stains near the chimney chase are a warning sign you should not wait on.
- Cracked or crumbling crown visible from the ground. If you can see chunks missing from the concrete crown, water has already been getting behind your brick. In Brentwood’s freeze-thaw winters, each cycle widens those cracks. A crown that’s spalling now will be a bigger job by spring.
- Birds or animals getting into the house through the chimney. If you hear flapping above the damper or find droppings in the fireplace, something has made a home in your flue. The only reason they got in is a missing or damaged cap. We’ll remove the nest, check the flue, and install a cap with proper mesh so it doesn’t happen again.
- Smoke backup or draft problems on windy days. A missing or undersized cap lets wind blow straight down the flue and push smoke back into the living room. It feels like a chimney problem, but half the time the fix is simply a properly sized cap installed at the right height above the crown.
Our Chimney Cap & Crown Process - Step by Step
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You call, a live person answers. Wendell or one of his crew picks up, any hour, any day. You’ll describe what you’re seeing, and we’ll give you a straight answer about whether it sounds urgent or can wait. If you’re inside our service county, there’s no trip charge.
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We inspect before we quote. The sweep who shows up at your door climbs up, checks the cap and crown, and runs a camera down the flue. You get the camera footage and a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions. The number you hear on the phone before we start is the number on the invoice, not a moving target.
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You approve the work, no pressure. We’ll tell you plainly what needs doing now, what can safely wait, and what doesn’t need doing at all. If all you need is a crown coating, we won’t try to sell you a rebuild. Your flue doesn’t care how the fire looks. It cares how it breathes.
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We do the job right the first time. Cap and crown work gets done with the proper materials, proper fasteners, and proper slope so water sheds away. We leave the job site clean and show you the finished work from the top before we pack up.
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You’re covered by the 90-Day Done Right Promise. It’s in writing, stamped on every job. If the work isn’t right, one call brings Wendell back. No charge, no argument. We’ve been doing it this way since 1999, and it’s the reason ask anyone on your street and they’ll know our name.
How Much Does Chimney Cap & Crown Cost in Brentwood?
What affects the price is mostly access. A steep roof pitch or a chimney that’s three stories up takes more time and more care with equipment. Material choice matters too: stainless steel costs more than galvanized but lasts decades longer. The best way to avoid overpaying is to get the inspection footage before you approve the repair. We always offer a free second opinion on any competing written estimate, so if another company quoted you a liner or a rebuild, bring us the estimate and we’ll give you an honest read. And remember: $40 off any repair over $200, 10% off for seniors and veterans, always.
Chimney Cap & Crown Near Brentwood - Our Service Area
We work throughout central Suffolk County, not just Brentwood. We’re regularly in Hauppauge for Chimney Cap & Crown in Hauppauge and down in Chimney Cap & Crown in Central Islip, plus Nesconset, Islip, Bay Shore, North Bay Shore, East Islip, Islip Terrace, Islandia, Baywood, and Brightwaters. Most cap and crown jobs are completed same-day once we’re on site. If you’re unsure whether you’re in our service area, call us.
Serving Brentwood, NY - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Brentwood area and know this community well - check out our Chimney Cap & Crown in Brentwood. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Chimney Cap & Crown in Brentwood
What is a chimney cap and crown?
The crown is the concrete or mortar slab that seals the top of the chimney structure, and the cap is the metal cover that sits over the flue opening to keep out rain, animals, and debris while letting smoke escape. Both work together to keep water out of the flue, and when either fails, the other usually isn’t far behind. In Brentwood, we check both whenever we inspect either one.
How long does chimney cap and crown work take?
Most cap installations and crown repairs are finished in one to three hours from ladder-up to clean-up. Crown repouring takes longer because the concrete needs time to set before we’re done for the day, but you’ll have a working chimney by evening. We’ll give you a straight time estimate before we start.
How much does chimney cap and crown cost in Brentwood?
Cap work runs $180 to $380, crown repair $350 to $800, crown coating $250 to $450, and custom caps start around $450. The final number depends on flue size, crown condition, and access. Call (934) 935-3847 for an exact quote, estimates are free, and we’ll stand behind the number we give you.
Do you service Famco and Copperfield caps?
Yes, we install and replace Famco and Copperfield caps regularly, and we stock common sizes from both. If you have a cap from another manufacturer, we can still service or replace it, matching the right size and material for your flue type and fuel source.
Can you come out for an emergency cap or crown repair?
Phones are answered by a live person around the clock, so if you’ve got water coming in or an animal in the flue, call us and we’ll tell you honestly how urgent it is. For active leaks during a storm, we can often get a temporary seal in place same-day and plan the permanent fix for clear weather. Inside our service county, there’s no trip charge, ever.
What warranty do you offer on cap and crown work?
Every completed job is backed by the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the cap or crown work isn’t right, one call brings our crew back at no additional cost. It’s not a pro-rated warranty with fine print; it’s straightforward, and Wendell puts his name on it.
How do I prepare for a chimney cap or crown appointment?
Just make sure we can get to the chimney, which means a clear spot for a ladder and access through the yard if needed. You don’t need to move anything inside the house or prepare the fireplace. We’ll take care of everything from roof to flue, and we’ll show you the camera footage before we recommend any work beyond what you called about.
Schedule Your Chimney Cap & Crown Service in Brentwood Today
Don’t wait until water is running down your wall. Call (934) 935-3847 for a free, no-obligation estimate on chimney cap and crown work in Brentwood. A live person answers, Wendell or his crew shows up on time with a real arrival window, and the price you hear on the phone is the price on the invoice. With the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, there’s no downside to finding out what’s really going on up there.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Brentwood since 1999.