Why is my chimney starting cracking at the top before anywhere else?
Answer
Homeowners tend to spot cracks near the top of their chimney before anything else looks wrong. The top of a chimney stays wetter longer and goes through harsher freeze-thaw cycles than the sections below, so stress concentrates there & cracks begin to form there first. It’s often a sign that the cement cap & chimney crown are likely cracked & rain & snow has made its way into those cracks spreading the damage. As long as the chimney below stays straight and the lower bricks & mortar joints remain firm, the damage can be limited to the upper part of the chimney if addressed before water & moisture from rain and snow works its way any farther down the chimney. It’s something that will need to be taken care of. The longer it’s put off the more the damage will spread.
Think of a chip on a car windshield. You can get the chip in the windshield fixed or you can choose to shrug it off & then wake up one morning and find the chip has turned into a crack halfway across your windshield.
It happens. When it happens is anybody’s guess.
