Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Famco Crown Repair: The San Antonio Owner’s Guide
A Famco crown repair in San Antonio typically runs $325 – $620 installed, depending on crown width, crack severity, and whether we’re sealing, rebuilding, or doing a full crown replacement. We stock Famco-compatible crown materials on the truck, so most jobs are completed in one visit. The way owners usually discover the crown has failed is water staining on the ceiling near the chimney or small pieces of mortar on the roof after a hard rain, and by then the damage has usually been underway for at least a season.
We’re an independent chimney service company in San Antonio. We aren’t affiliated with Famco, but we install and repair their crown components regularly because they hold up to South Texas sun and the freeze-thaw cycles we get during those odd February cold snaps. Danny Cortes and our crew have seen what happens when a Famco crown gets ignored for a couple of years, and we’d rather catch it early than rebuild half the chimney chase.
Which Famco Models This Applies To
Famco crowns are most commonly found on their prefabricated fireplace chimney systems, the kind of factory-built metal chases you see on newer homes across San Antonio from Stone Oak down to Braun Oaks. The crown sits on top of the chimney termination and keeps water from running down between the metal flue pipe and the chase wall. The catch: Famco makes crowns in several diameters, typically ranging from 6 to 14 inches, and they’re not interchangeable between sizes. Measure the inner flue diameter before calling, or snap a photo of the data plate on the fireplace itself. That plate usually lives behind the lower grille or inside the firebox opening, and it lists the exact model and serial number we need to match the crown correctly.
OEM Famco crowns are stamped sheet metal with a specific profile, and there are a handful of aftermarket equivalents that fit Famco chases. The aftermarket options work, but we’ve found the OEM Famco unit has a tighter drip edge on the underside that does a better job shedding water in San Antonio’s heavy downpours. If you’re on the fence, we’ll show you both, explain the price difference, and let you decide. No pressure either way.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Famco Crown Repair Is Failing
- Water stains on the ceiling or wall near the fireplace. This is the one that usually gets the call. When the crown’s seal breaks, rain follows the flue pipe down inside the chase, and the first place you see it is the drywall closest to the chase wall. It’s rarely a roof leak.
- Rust streaks on the crown or the chase top. The crown is galvanized or powder-coated steel, and once that coating gets scratched or degrades in the sun, the metal underneath starts oxidizing. We see this all over San Antonio after five to seven years of exposure.
- Fractured or missing caulk bead around the crown base. The crown must be properly sealed to the termination ring. If that caulk dries out and splits, it’s just a matter of time before water finds its way in. This is the simplest fix if caught early.
- Debris collecting on top of the crown or inside the collar. Leaves and seed pods pile up on the crown, hold moisture against the metal, and accelerate rust. We also find nests in chase tops throughout the fall and winter in this part of Texas.
- Rattling or movement when the wind picks up. Several of the older Famco crown designs used screws that can loosen, which allows the collar to rock against the chase. If it wiggles by hand, the seal is compromised.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
In San Antonio, most Famco crown replacements run $325 to $475 when the flue pipe and chase are in decent shape. If the surrounding chase top has rust-through, we may need to install a chase pan and shroud, which pushes the project into the $550 to $620 range. Honestly, the price moves based on whether we can seal the existing termination collar or the whole top assembly must come off. We give you a written price before any work starts, and that number doesn’t change unless we find something you haven’t seen that we can show you with a camera.
Every Famco crown job includes the new crown (Famco OEM or a quality equivalent you approve), removal of the old unit, surface prep, mechanical fastening, and a full weatherproof seal. We’ll take photos of the finished crown and the top of the chase before we come down from the roof, and we’ll walk you through what we found. The work is covered under our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the crown isn’t right, we make it right, no fine print.
See the difference
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After
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AfterDIY or Call Us?
This is a roof-access job, meaning ladders, pitch, and sometimes working near a gas vent or electrical service mast. We don’t recommend a homeowner replace a crown as a weekend project, not because it’s impossibly hard, but because the failure mode is slow and invisible. If the crown isn’t seated and sealed correctly at the collar, water seeps silently down the chase for months before you see any sign inside the house, and by then the framing repairs cost far more than having it done properly.
What you can safely do: go outside on a clear morning and look up at the chimney with binoculars. Check for rust streaks, a crooked crown, or missing sealant at the base. Take a few photos. Then call (361) 491-3153 and we’ll give you an honest read on whether the crown can be resealed or should be replaced. We’ll tell you plainly if it can wait a season, and we’ll never tell you to replace something you don’t need.
FAQs
In the San Antonio climate, a Famco crown typically lasts 7 to 12 years before the sun and rain degrade the protective coating enough to warrant replacement. Crowns near the coast tend to show rust earlier from salt air, while those in the Hill Country hold up a little longer. If you’re seeing surface rust but no cracks, resealing may buy another two or three years, and we’ll tell you if that’s the case.
Yes, if the damage is limited to the caulk seal or light surface rust, we can wire-brush the metal, treat it, apply a high-temperature coating, and reseal the collar, typically for $185 to $275. If the drip edge has rusted through or the collar screws won’t hold, repair isn’t worth the false economy. Call (361) 491-3153 and we’ll give you a straight answer based on what we find on the roof, with photos to show you the condition.
A standard Famco crown replacement takes about two hours from setup to final photo, assuming the chase and flue are in functional condition. We protect the area around the fireplace with drop cloths and remove any furniture pieces you’d rather keep clear, and the roof is left cleaner than we found it. You’ll have a written price before we start, and the flat number won’t move.
We carry a range of Famco crown sizes on the truck, and when the OEM unit is in stock locally, most San Antonio customers have it installed the same week. For less common sizes or specific model matches, it may take a couple of days to bring in the right piece. We also carry crowns and components from DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco, so if a Famco-compatible alternative saves you money without cutting durability, we’ll present that option before you commit.
Get Your Famco Crown Repaired the Right Way
If your Famco crown is rusted, leaking, or loose, the safest next step is a professional look at the top of the chase and the flue connection beneath it. We protect floors and furniture before we begin, use pet-safe products where there is a choice, and we follow our C.A.R.E. values on every visit: Communication, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. Call (361) 491-3153 for a free estimate, and you’ll speak with a live person, any hour, any day. Danny Cortes will walk you through what he finds before anyone picks up a tool.
Written by Danny Cortes, Owner, Kindling Chimney San Antonio at Kindling Chimney San Antonio, serving San Antonio and nearby areas.