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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AfterTrusted Chimney Cap & Crown for Northampton Homeowners
A chimney cap and crown in Northampton do one job together: they keep water out of your flue and off your chimney’s shoulders. When either one fails, the damage starts quietly and gets expensive fast. Most Northampton homeowners don’t notice until a rainstorm leaves a damp spot on the ceiling or a musty smell near the fireplace.
Wendell Pike started Top Hat Chimney in 1999, and he’s been looking at Northampton caps and crowns ever since. He’ll tell you straight: a cracked crown is the most common problem he finds on chimneys in this part of the Lehigh Valley, and it’s almost always fixable if you catch it before winter. The freeze-thaw cycles here are what kill crowns. Water seeps into a hairline crack, freezes, expands, and by spring that crack is a quarter-inch wide.
Call (484) 859-1367 and you’ll get a live person, day or night. Wendell answers most calls himself. He’ll schedule a time to come out, quote you a flat price before any tool comes off the truck, and if the cap or crown just needs a little TLC instead of a full replacement, he’ll say so.
What Our Chimney Cap & Crown Service Includes
Here’s what Wendell and his crew actually do when they come out for cap and crown work in Northampton. Every job gets the same treatment: a real inspection, a straight answer, and a written quote before work starts.
Cap Installation
A cap sits on top of the flue and does three things: keeps rain out, keeps animals out, and stops sparks from landing on your roof. Without one, you’re leaving an open pipe that invites every raccoon and squirrel in Northampton to set up housekeeping. Wendell measures the flue on site, recommends the right size and material for your setup, and installs it so it won’t rattle in the wind. Most cap installations take under an hour.
Cap Replacement
Caps rust out, get dented by falling branches, or simply disappear in a storm. If yours is damaged, you’ll want it replaced before the next rain. Top Hat Chimney stocks caps from brands like Olympia Chimney and Famco, and Wendell will match what you had or upgrade you to something sturdier. He’ll show you the old cap, explain what failed, and then show you the new one before it goes on.
Crown Repair
The crown is the concrete or mortar slab that caps the top of the chimney structure itself, not the flue. Northampton’s weather is rough on crowns. Small cracks can be sealed with a proper elastomeric sealant; larger ones may need a partial rebuild of the crown surface. Wendell determines what’s actually needed by looking at the crack pattern and how much spalling has already happened. He doesn’t push a full replacement when a repair will hold for another decade.
Crown Coating
A good crown coating buys you years. The coating is a flexible, waterproof membrane applied over the existing crown. It bridges hairline cracks and keeps water from finding a way in. Wendell uses industrial-grade coatings designed for chimney exposure, not the kind of stuff you’d find on a shelf at the hardware store. The surface has to be clean and dry before coating, and Wendell makes sure it is.
Multi-Flue Cap
If your chimney has more than one flue, a single-flue cap won’t cut it. A multi-flue cap spans the entire crown and covers both openings at once. Wendell fabricates and installs multi-flue caps for older Northampton homes with dual flues, which are common in the borough’s pre-war housing stock. The cap has to be sized precisely to the crown dimensions, and Wendell measures twice before ordering.
Custom Cap
Sometimes the flue is an odd size, the crown is irregular, or you want a cap that actually looks good from the street. Wendell has ordered enough custom caps over the years to know what works and what doesn’t. He’ll spec it, order it, and come back to install it when it arrives. Custom caps cost more than stock, but they’re the right answer for odd geometries and historic homes where a generic cap would look wrong.
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
Wendell works with a short list of brands he trusts, because he’s the one who has to come back if a part fails. He’s installed and serviced Olympia Chimney and Famco caps for years. Both make solid products, and Wendell keeps their most common sizes within reach on the truck. Olympia caps are tough and straightforward; Famco caps tend to fit well on older masonry chimneys without a lot of fuss.
Copperfield is his go-to when a Northampton homeowner wants a cap that will outlast the chimney itself. Copperfield caps are built heavy and they look right on older homes. Wendell also uses Gelco sealants and crown coatings on repair jobs, because that’s what he’s used his whole career and he’s never had one fail when applied correctly.
Whether you have one of those brands or something else entirely, Wendell will take a look and tell you what needs to happen. The brand matters less than the fit and the installation.
Signs You Need Chimney Cap & Crown Right Now
- Water stains on the ceiling near the chimney. Water getting past a cracked crown or missing cap will eventually show up indoors. By the time you see a stain, it’s been finding its way in for a while.
- Pieces of mortar or concrete in the yard or on the roof. Spalling crown material doesn’t just vanish. If you find chips near the base of the chimney, the crown is breaking down and each freeze-thaw cycle makes it worse.
- You can hear or see animals in the chimney. A missing cap is an engraved invitation for squirrels, raccoons, and birds. They’ll nest in the flue if they can. And they will.
- The cap is visibly rusted, dented, or gone. If you can see damage from the ground, it’s already been failing. A rusted cap will leak, and a missing cap isn’t protecting anything.
- Musty smell near the fireplace after it rains. That’s the smell of water mixing with old soot and creosote. The flue is wet, and a wet flue smells exactly like that. The fix is usually at the top of the chimney, not the firebox.
Our Chimney Cap & Crown Process - Step by Step
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Inspection from top to bottom. Wendell goes up and looks at the cap and crown from every angle. He’s checking for cracks, spalling, rust, and the overall geometry of the flue and crown. He takes photos you’ll see later.
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Straight diagnosis. Wendell tells you what he found, what it means, and what it will cost to fix. If it can wait, he says it can wait. You get a written estimate with the exact flat price before anything else happens.
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Repair or replacement. The work happens on the scheduled day. Wendell and his crew do the job the way they’d do it on their own homes. The crew is background-checked and shows up in uniform with a real arrival window.
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Photo documentation. You get to see what was done. Photos of the old cap, the new cap, the repaired crown, whatever applies. No mystery work.
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The 90-Day Done Right Promise. Every job, including cap and crown work, is backed in writing. If something isn’t right, one call brings Wendell back at no cost to you. That promise is stamped on every invoice.
How Much Does Chimney Cap & Crown Cost in Northampton?
What affects the price most is access. A steep roof pitch or a chimney that needs a taller ladder setup takes more time. The material also matters, stainless holds up longer than galvanized, and Copperfield caps cost more than stock Olympia units. Wendell will tell you which makes sense for your roof and your budget, and he won’t upsell you into something overbuilt.
The estimate is free. Wendell gives you one price over the phone or in person, and that’s the number on the invoice. No add-ons, no surprises. Stand right there while he writes it down and ask him anything.
Chimney Cap & Crown Near Northampton - Our Service Area
Top Hat Chimney serves Northampton and the surrounding communities in Northampton and Lehigh counties. Wendell regularly works in Allen, Catasauqua, Coplay, and Hokendauqua, and he’ll go out to Bath, Slatington, Schnecksville, Palmerton, East Allen, East Penn, and Eldred too. If you’re inside the county, there’s no trip charge. Call and ask; you’ll know before he hangs up. For more about what we do in nearby areas, see Chimney Cap & Crown in Allen and Chimney Cap & Crown in Catasauqua.
Serving Northampton, PA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Northampton area and know this community well - see our Chimney Cap & Crown - Northampton service. 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 Northampton
A chimney crown is the concrete or mortar slab at the very top of the chimney structure that sheds water away from the flue. A chimney cap is the metal fixture that sits over the flue opening to keep rain, animals, and debris out. Together they protect the chimney from the two things that destroy masonry: water and critters. See our Chimney Cap & Crown cost guide for typical pricing.
Most cap replacements take under an hour once Wendell is on the roof. Crown repair or coating typically takes two to four hours depending on the size of the crown and the extent of the damage. Custom cap work takes longer because the cap has to be fabricated, but the installation itself is usually quick.
A cap replacement in our Chimney Cap & Crown in Catasauqua and Northampton runs $250 to $550 for most homes. Crown repair runs $400 to $900 depending on condition and surface area. Wendell gives you a flat price before any work begins, and that’s the price you pay. Call (484) 859-1367 for a free estimate.
Yes. Wendell has installed and repaired Olympia Chimney and Famco caps for years, and he keeps common sizes in stock. If you have one of those brands, he can likely match it same day. If you have something else, he’ll tell you what will work without pushing a brand you don’t need.
If water is actively getting in or your cap blew off in a storm, call (484) 859-1367 - we also serve Chimney Cap & Crown - Coplay and surrounding areas. Wendell’s phone is answered by a live person around the clock, and he’ll tell you honestly whether it needs immediate attention or can wait for the next open slot. He won’t charge you extra to hear the truth.
Every cap and crown job from Top Hat Chimney is backed by the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the work isn’t right, call Wendell and he comes back at no charge. He’s been doing this since 1999 and he stands behind what he installs.
Not much is needed. Make sure Wendell can get to the chimney, which usually means clearing anything from around the fireplace inside and letting him know if there’s a locked gate or an aggressive dog. He’ll handle the roof and the ladder. You don’t need to be home for the roof work itself, but it’s better if you’re there to see the photos and get the verdict straight from him.
Schedule Your Chimney Cap & Crown Service in Northampton Today
Call (484) 859-1367 and ask for a free estimate. Wendell will answer, or one of his crew will. You’ll get a straight price, honest advice, and a scheduled day. No pressure, no phone-then-door price switch, no stranger you’ll never see again. Every job is backed by the 90-Day Done Right Promise, and Wendell’s been fixing Northampton chimneys since 1999. He’ll be around Saturday.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Northampton since 1999.