Chimney repair in Fort Lauderdale FL - a chimney top that keeps the water out
A water stain by the fireplace or cracks at the top of your chimney? We find where the water gets in and seal that spot.
Send us photos of your chimney top
Use the form to send pictures of the top of the chimney and any streaks or leak spots inside, so I know where to look first when I come out.
Why is my chimney leaking, and what does the repair involve?
Chimney repair in Fort Lauderdale is mostly about keeping water out at the top of the chimney and where it meets the roof. That means fixing the crown, the sloped slab on top of a brick chimney, or the chase cover, the metal pan on a factory-built one, along with the flashing, the metal seal along the roof joint.
Most calls start with a water stain on a ceiling or wall beside the fireplace. On a brick chimney, water usually gets in at the base, at the joint with the roof or at the crown, and the crown is the spot people miss most, so ask that any repair seals it to keep water from getting behind the flue liner, the chimney's inner lining. The price moves with which part has failed, whether it can be patched or has to be replaced, and how much of the brick and mortar around it needs work too. The schedule mostly turns on whether a new cover has to be made to fit and whether the job needs a permit. Your estimate lists each step and material, so you see your own figure before we start.
Why Fort Lauderdale homeowners call J&R Fort Lauderdale Concrete & Masonry for chimney repair
Licensed and insured before we climb
We're licensed and fully insured, so you aren't the one carrying the risk while our crew is up on your roof. That matters on chimney work, where most of the job happens up high.
I'm there from estimate to finish
I come out to every estimate myself, and I'm on site with our crew while the work is done. The person who found the leak is the one checking that it gets fixed.
Careful repair work since 2023
I started J&R in Fort Lauderdale in 2023, after learning masonry under an experienced mason. I measure and write down every job, so you pay for the repair your chimney needs, not the biggest one.
On a chimney, the repair that lasts is the one aimed at where the water really gets in. Request your estimate or call (754) 228-0031, and I'll come take a look.
How we handle chimney repair
We start at the top, with the crown or metal cover and the flashing where the chimney meets the roof, because that's where water tends to find its way in. Proposed national standard text says a chimney inspection should fit the conditions that prompted it, and I work the same way, starting from what you're seeing and only opening up more if the chimney calls for it. Quotes often use "cap" and "cover" loosely, so I'll tell you exactly which part we're pricing and whether the rest is included, which lets you compare quotes fairly. Then we make the repair, check the joints we touched and clean up the roof and yard before we leave.
Water that's been getting in for a while often wears out the chimney's mortar too, and tuckpointing replaces those worn joints one at a time. When the bricks themselves are cracked, loose or flaking at the face, we take care of them as brick repair in the same visit.
Crown repair or rebuild
This suits a brick chimney with a cracked or crumbling crown. Small cracks can usually be sealed, while a crown that's breaking apart has to be rebuilt so water stops running into the brick below.
Chase cover replacement
This suits a factory-built fireplace whose metal top has rusted or sags. Replacement covers are custom made, usually in stainless steel or copper, so plan on a part built to fit your chase.
Flashing reseal or replacement
This suits a chimney that leaks where it meets the roof. We reseal flashing that's still sound and replace pieces that have pulled loose or worn through.
How can you tell your chimney needs repair?
Stains near the fireplace
Brown rings on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney usually mean water is getting in up top or at the roof joint. The longer it runs, the more drywall and framing it soaks.
Cracks across the top
Lines or missing chunks in the slab on top let water straight into the brick below. Small cracks are usually a simple seal, but waiting can turn them into a crown rebuild.
Gaps at the roof line
Metal lifting, loose sealant or a gap between the chimney and the shingles means the flashing has let go. Water running behind it often shows up first as a stain in the attic.
Mortar washing out
Joints that look recessed, sandy or hollow let water into the chimney's walls. Caught early, it's a matter of fresh mortar, but left alone the bricks start to loosen.
What happens after you call about chimney repair?
Call and book a visit
Call or use the form and we'll set up a visit. I look over the whole chimney, find what's letting the water in and write an estimate listing each step and material.
Permit, then the repair
If the job needs a permit, we handle the application with the local building office and schedule the inspections. Then our crew does the work, with me on site.
Walk the finished chimney together
When we're done, we walk through the work with you and show you what we fixed. We want it square, clean and something you'd be glad to show a neighbor.
Chimney repair questions we hear
Here are answers to what Fort Lauderdale homeowners ask us most about chimney leaks and repairs. If your chimney isn't covered here, call and ask about your own.
How much does chimney repair cost in Fort Lauderdale?
Fireplace and chimney repair in Fort Lauderdale usually costs about $140 to $5,500 per project across the local market, and that's the area's range, not our price. Where a job lands depends on which part has failed and how much of it has to be replaced, so I price yours in writing after I've looked at the chimney.
How do I tell if my chimney top is a crown or a chase cover?
If your chimney is real brick from top to bottom, it has a crown, and if you have a factory-built fireplace, it has a chase cover, a flat metal pan. That matters because crowns tend to crack and covers tend to rust, so the top you have tells you which repair to expect.
What causes orange streaks on the siding below a chimney?
Orange streaks usually come from a chase cover that's rusting. A flat or sagging cover holds standing water until the metal rusts through, and the rust washes down the siding, so by then the cover is letting water in as well.
Where do I apply for a chimney repair permit in Fort Lauderdale?
Permits in Fort Lauderdale go through the city's Building Services division, and new applications are filed online through its LauderBuild portal. The division also inspects work to make sure it meets the Florida Building Code, and it's the place to ask whether your repair needs a permit.
What is the difference between a certified and a registered contractor license in Florida?
A certified license lets a contractor work anywhere in Florida, while a registered license covers only the cities or counties where the contractor holds a certificate of competency. Before you hire anyone for chimney work, ask which kind they hold and whether it covers Fort Lauderdale.
What is the best metal for chimney flashing?
One masonry trade guide recommends metal flashing for chimneys because it holds up to high heat and being outdoors. The same guide advises against galvanized steel, and against aluminum set into brick, because fresh mortar attacks aluminum. Your estimate names the flashing metal we plan to use.
Get a written chimney repair estimate
Tell us what you're seeing on your chimney and where any stain shows up inside. We reply within one business day to set a visit, and the estimate is free at your property with no obligation.
Examples of chimney repair
Related masonry repairs
Tuckpointing
If the mortar joints on your chimney or walls have turned sandy or hollow, fresh mortar packed into each joint keeps water out of the brick.
Learn moreBrick repair
Cracked, loose or flaking bricks on a chimney, wall or step can be cut out and replaced with matching brick before the damage spreads further.
Learn more