Independent chimney guide for Philadelphia homeowners · not a contractor · if you ask, we refer you to one local contractor who may pay us · how this works

Service guide

Chimney crowns, caps, flashing & masonry

Water is what destroys chimneys. Most leaks around a Philadelphia chimney come from the crown, the cap, the flashing or the brick and mortar of the stack.

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The usual suspects

Crown: the concrete or mortar slab on top of the stack. Cracks let water into the masonry.
Cap: the cover over the flue that keeps out rain and animals. The Rowhouse Manual mentions annual cleaning for “animal nests.”
Flashing: the metal seal where the chimney meets the roof. The Rowhouse Manual says to have a professional check “for blistering and cracking at flashing and chimney caps.”
Stack masonry: eroded mortar joints and spalled brick above the roofline.

Published costs

Published national price ranges (not Philadelphia quotes)
Job	Range	Source
Chimney cap replacement	$200–$850	HomeGuide
Crown repair (minor) / full crown replacement	$200–$700 / up to $3,000	HomeGuide
Flashing repair	$300–$1,800	HomeGuide
Repointing a chimney	$700–$3,000	HomeGuide
Partial rebuild / full chimney replacement	$1,000–$5,000+ / $4,000–$15,000	HomeGuide

HomeGuide notes that relining requires the stack and masonry to be in good condition, so a liner quote may come with masonry work first.

Historic properties

If your house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission reviews masonry pointing and repair, roofing and flashing, and mechanical vents. The Commission’s October 2024 permit log includes staff approvals for “Chimney brick repair/replacement” on Green Street and brick approval for chimney work on Pine Street. More on historic review.

Working on the roof

Chimney repair means working on a roof, often three stories up and against a neighbor’s wall. Ask any contractor how they’ll access the roof, protect the neighbor’s roof, and whether they need anything placed on the sidewalk.

References

Checked October 30, 2026. Codes, fees, programs and prices change; confirm with the source. Cost figures are published ranges, not quotes.

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Philly Chimney Repair is an independent guide, not a chimney contractor. If you ask for help, we’ll pass your request to one independent Philadelphia chimney contractor, who inspects, quotes and does the work. If we don’t have one for your job yet, we’ll tell you. That contractor may pay us for the referral. We are not affiliated with the City of Philadelphia, L&I or PGW. Disclosure.