"A failing chimney sends water straight down the flue into your living room. We stop it at the crown."
Chimney rebuilds, crown replacement, flashing and flue liner repair for Brooklyn and Queens homes. We fix leaning chimneys, cracked crowns, failed step flashing, and damaged flue tiles. NYC licensed, fully insured, and experienced with brownstone and frame house chimneys. Proper flashing. Real fireproof caps. No shortcuts.
Chimney repair covers the whole exterior stack above the roofline, the bricks and mortar, the crown slab at the top, the flue tile lining, the cap, the flashing that seals the chimney to the roof, and the cricket or saddle that diverts water around the back. Each of these fails differently, and each has its own repair method.
Brooklyn chimneys take the worst abuse of any part of a house. They are fully exposed on all four sides, project above the roofline into wind and rain, and cycle between extreme heat (from the fireplace or furnace flue) and freezing temperatures on the outside face. That temperature differential is what cracks crowns, spalls bricks, and pops flashings loose after 20 to 30 years.
The single most common leak call we get in Brooklyn is "water stain on the ceiling near the chimney." Nine times out of ten it is failed step flashing or a cracked crown, not a roof problem. MLM Construction Group diagnoses the actual source, fixes the cause, and documents the work for your insurance file.
⚡ NYC Fire & Safety Codes
Under NYC Fire Code and FDNY rules, any chimney used for a wood burning appliance, gas boiler, or furnace must have an intact flue liner and a weather tight cap. Cracked flue tiles are a carbon monoxide risk. We reline with UL listed stainless steel or cast in place liners and document work for your insurance carrier.
When spalling bricks, leaning stacks, or deep mortar failure make spot repairs impossible, we take the chimney down to the roofline (or below) and rebuild with matching brick and correct mortar. New flashing and crown included. Typical turnaround: 2 to 4 days.
The crown slab at the top of the chimney keeps water out of the flue and the brick. Cracked crowns are the #1 leak source. We remove the failed crown, form and pour a new concrete crown with proper overhang and drip edge. Lasts 25+ years.
Step flashing, counter flashing, and the cricket behind the chimney, these fail long before the roof does. We strip the old flashing, cut new lead or aluminum counter flashing into the brick, and seal with polyurethane, not cheap silicone. Stops leaks for good.
Cracked clay flue tiles are a fire and CO hazard. We install UL listed stainless steel flex liners sized for your appliance, insulated where required by NFPA 211. Certified for wood, gas, and oil fired systems.
A proper cap keeps out rain, squirrels, birds, and embers. We install stainless steel multi flue caps with stainless spark arrestor mesh, not the painted galvanized caps that rust in 3 years.
Pre-war brownstone chimneys need soft lime based mortar and matching brick. We work within NYC Landmarks Preservation guidelines and preserve original ornamental brickwork where possible.
The most common mistake we see. Homeowners call a roofer, roofer seals a random seam, leak keeps coming back. The actual water entry is almost always at the chimney crown, flashing, or brick face, not the roof membrane itself.
We spray test the chimney crown, flashing, and brick face in sequence to isolate the leak source before doing any work. You pay for the actual fix, not guesswork. Most Brooklyn chimney leaks trace back to a $400 flashing repair, not a new roof.
For flue problems we run a borescope down the flue to document cracks, obstructions, and liner failures. You see what we see. Reports go to your insurance and are the difference between a denied claim and a paid one.
Brooklyn chimneys fail at the same 5 points every time: crown, cap, flashing, flue liner, and brick face. We find the real source in 30 minutes and give you a clear written quote. No guesswork, no upselling.