Mike I’ve been watching your videos for years and have learned so much. I’m just a DIY homeowner. Hope you are enjoying your new place in Florida!

My husband and I have been enjoying your older videos. Great job repairing this chimney. Sometimes the government doesn't need to know. 🧐 They are most tax collectors, lazy and disgusting... Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. God bless 🙏

Mike, I learn so much watching your channel. You're the best.

I've got a chimney pot on my roof which is on top of a stone flue. It's been there since 1870 and shows no sign of needing maintenance! Old skool British design. 👍

Thanks for the heads up on your travel channel! Been following this one for awhile, and have always been interested to see you abroad talking about how other countries do masonry work. Keep it up!

I watched all 9 videos. Thanks Mike, I feel like I can do it myself now. (Meaning a new concrete cap around the top of the flew).

These videos are great! We are in the Pacific Northwest; not much freezing and thawing, but lots of wind and rain. Our 50-year-old concrete block and clay flue chimney (wood burning) has some pitting and spalling, and the crown has almost completely eroded away. After watching these videos I am tackling the repair myself and its working out nicely.

Your videos are fantastic. About a year ago, I was trolling around YT for concrete repair videos and spent a lot of time watching your videos. Was researching some chimney things and was so happy to find this video.

Nice fix Mike. Good work sir

Great video Mike. Just got our first snow of the season today in Philly! Keep up the good work.

thanks, Mike I really enjoy your videos

Enjoy watching your video, Mike. Thank you.

Love your videos, I look forward to each new one!

Thanks Mike, your videos were very informative and I just replaced my cap yesterday. the hardest part was hauling the old pieces down and the concrete buckets up. Saved me $1500.

Thank you Mike, great video and description of what’s going on! I’m no mason but I am roofer/framer and love to work! My client will be please with the repair because I was thinking the same thing as what you just showed me! Very much appreciate it!

love your approach to repairs, common sense explained with simple ease. I have the same problem with my chimney, could not get any masons to help, researched and doing it myself. I am certain it will be as successful as any "pro" doing it.

That’s the way to do it! I’m always amazed that flaunching lasts so long being directly exposed.

Thank you for all the info you give us!

THANKS AGAIN MIKE!

You are the BEST.

Nice job Mike great tutorial as aways👍What I did with my chimney was drop a liner in because the flues we're all spider cracked and alot of gaps all the way down to the furnace causing carbon monoxide to build up in the attic this I believe was caused by the previous owner exhausting a wood burning stove and the furnace at the same time crazy...once lined fixed problem.

Nice job Mike.

Good job 👍... “No Big Deal”

I repaired my chimney a couple years ago. The flue is original 1952, and was as solid as the day it was put in. The cap is quite large, with about a foot overhang on each side. I replaced the bolts holing the cap on with stainless and used anti-seize compound. It was a chore getting it off, so I didn't want to have to deal with it in the future. I spent about half a day cleaning up the steel cap, and repainted it first with cold galvanize, then high-temp paint. My thinking is that the cold galvanize is sacrificial if the high-temp paint gets breached. The cap is original to the house, and adds proportion to the large stone chimney. The flue you worked on looked like it had been water damaged. Thanks for your videos! I can't tell you how much help they have been!

Hello Mike, I finally got to going on my roof and adding an extra 2 foot section of 13,25 x 13.25 square terracotta addition. I used one part Portland cement and two to three parts poly modified mortar used to bond a thin layer of topcoat for worn surface on cement walkways. I took a chance using this mortar cause I got a 80 pound bag for free when I purchased the flu sectional. The bag was ripped and the supply house was very willing to give me a damaged bag. The level was within the lines of the bubble level. I learned all by watching your videos Mike. Thanks a lot for your honest and informative videos fella. As stated by yourself MR. Mike, I gave the chimney a dentist tooth repair. One question fella. I did not put any stone on the sides of the flu pipe. Am wondering if I could use any heat blanket wrap on the terracotta pipe ?? I will put a stainless steel chimney cap to keep weather from going into the pipe itself. Please let me know what you think of this idea. I do not have any red rose quartz stones at this time. I will do that when I get stuff to use to finish the job. Thanks again and piece to fella. vf

Love your video's

interesting video!! better you than me climbing on that roof lol. nice job!

Nice show, I will follow you to fix my Chimney too!

Very helpful thanks mike

Nice Mike👍

There are plenty of brick houses and chimneys in NJ and the weather is just like PA. There is no lack of brick maintenance needing to be done. Last winter (2020-2021) was particularly bad with thawing and freezing especially with 15" of snow on the roof.

Love it.

lol u madit it look so easy ...love the video

I decided not to chance it and put in a stainless liner...best decision every homeowner should make if you use your fireplace, wood stove, or pellet stove with any regularity!!!! Mike is my masonry hero!!!!

Good looking job, thanks for the video! ....13

It might not make sense but it will last 700 years 😂. Another helpful video full of insight, thanks mike!

Oh, I never thought about running 2 x 4 around the chimney and fasten metal to it. I just fabricated a cap out of flashing, riveted it together, fit the whole thing over the top of the chimney, and bent the lower edge outward to make a drip edge.

Metal chase tops are the way to go

Good videos

First of all I just want to thank you for your straight forward, hands on teaching on masonry work that a diy guy needs when trying to find out how to do something he knows nothing about. After watching your videos on chimney and crown repairs, I've decided to go with a complete metal chimney cover. I built my house 96 and my crown has a few cracks in it and is separating a little bit all around the edges where it meets the brick. my question is, I would like to dig out that old caulk in the cracks and around the terracotta flue liner and just top coat the crown to seal it up until the metal cover can be installed which I was told would be about 3 or 4 weeks. would you chip those edges back a little and make a Portland sand mix to do that with or am I thinking wrong cause I know you said thin layers of Portland will crack. I just wanted to seal it up a little bit before the metal top goes on. Also when applying a chimney sealer do you need to wire brush the brick and joints before applying it? My mortar looks pretty good, not crumbling. I only had a few vertical joints that some mortar was missing so I chiseled it out to about 1 inch deep and mortared them back up like you showed. The rest just looks sandy weathered but doesn't easily rub out. Or does that sandy mortar need to be slicked up somehow before spraying on the sealer? I didn't mean to be so lengthy here, just trying to give you a good description. Any advise you can would be greatly appreciated, and thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Thank for this nice video. I’ve always wondered where do I get these metal cap with flue made?

You're right about clay flues falling apart in time. Thank you for the video. And the section of flue under your replacement looks cracked, the whole thing might need to be removed. And my understanding is a 3/8 inch gap to be left between crown and flue with foam. But thankyou for the video sir!

Thanks for this nice video Mike. I live in upstate area. Can you tell me where can I these metal cap made with flue?

They dont make double insulated metal flues for fire places ? Kind of like the ones for wall heaters .

Great video - really helpful. I have been told that our fireplace can no longer be used for fires since the flue is not lined. Our fireplace has 2 flues. We are now trying to see whether an insert or a stove could be installed. The main flue is only about 4" in diameter., We have been told that there are no inserts or stoves that can work with anything less than a 6" diameter metal pipe. Does this sound like it is correct to you? Also, is there anyway to join the 2 flues to make a larger one? Any suggestions will be really appreciated. Thanks -

Mike thanks for the video 4 years late.. I'm just needing it. I'm having trouble finding that top Flue piece. Where is the best place to get those? New home and chimney doesn't even have it.

hi mike,,i have lived in my house 30 years,,my chimney has never had a top on it,,i have always wondered why and where the rain water is going since its wide open,,do i need to cap it like the video even though its not being used,, thx mike

"Ham&Egger" = "No big deal" That cap is gonna crack, no doubt about it.

Mike, why not put a continuous expansion joint with high temperature sealant around the flue?

Great series Mike I've a few chimneys to cap so value your knowledge. Chimney is a French word and the chimney was brought to Britain by the Normans after 1066 battle of Hastings. Prior to that the Saxons used an open hearth. Hole in the ceiling. Can I ask if you know a good way to 'clean' bricks? I mean turn them from Victorian soot black back to yellow and red? I've seen whole houses restored back to 'like new' condition then re-pointed. But can't get the information on how it's done mate. Wondering if you know anyone in that niche? Thanks and very much appreciated Luke

Hi Mike, did you put rapid set cement for the crown to?

Love your videos Mike.....Agree....Many things were better before politics and government got involved!

Good video Mike. Can missing mortar between chimney bricks and a badly cracked mortar chimney top or cap cause water to leak into my house. I have had 3 roofers look for the source of the leaks, actually it's between floors, to no avail. No sign of any leaking in the attic as well. Only leaks when it's a blowing rain. Just wondering if you have ever run into this. Thanks.

I have 3rd stage creosote top to bottom in chimney flue from previous owner, chimney guy said he would break flue liner out with chains and drop 6” inch liner at no extra cost or he could clean with pcr at additional cost then drop liner. New to chimneys myself , what you think sounds best

Hi Mike, What kind of mortar are you using to install the chimney flue extension? It seems more white than the typical brick mortar. Does it contain lime?

Can you use old mortar from the day before that is still wet and pliable, maybe mix with a little new, some lime to make it sticky and some Portland to revive it?

Quick question. When rebuilding a block chimney for a gas furnace ( about 7 blocks) should I wet the block before cementing the joints? I feel like you said not too at one point so if so why not? Thank you. Also to make the crown on top should I use the same type s mixture? I live in Massachusetts

Mike I have a 100+ year old house in Jackson NC. We have 4 chimneys, 1 each side of the house 1 kitchen, 1 bathroom. I’ve been repointing them thanks to you and getting them ready to burn for this coming winter. The left side of the house the main chimney is for the living room on one side and dining room on the other side. The living room side is now a coal burner set up and the dining area bricked up to a clay round at 29 inches but I cannot find a wood burning stove low enough to pipe out at 29 inches. The chimney has second floor points holes for clay rounds at 30 inches. Still no stoves low enough each is covered with a small metal round. I don’t want to freeze like last winter 40 degree in the house. I bought 7 kerosene heaters but fuel is now 8$ a gallon I’m not doing it who can afford that except for the poor who get free kerosene stamps. Anyway. Can I cut out the brick and make it a full wood burning and eliminate the small coal burning area and open to the dining area too. The chimneys do not have liners nor flutes nor caps. There are no chimney sweeps in this area since they are required to get formal training and licensing the old guy retired now we have no one. So I also have trekked to get someone out to set up stoves,,. Well good luck with that. Anyway I’m going to repoint and wait for your expert guidance. Thank you for all your wisdom. I’ve built a lot of things thanks to you after the chimneys will be that beautiful bird bath then garden table. I bought a huge trailer just to come buy Pennsylvania slate and rock. Since I will be coming up 95 can you recommend a place. Thanks again for everything.

What about expansion joint between flue and crown?

Do you use or recommend a sealant over the top of the cap?

Hey Mike, I got a customer with a delaminated coating of mortar on top of the crown. I was going to scrape it off and top it with Crown Seal or Crown Coat. Have you used wither product? Thanks.

I also reside in PA- north central to be more exact- and I want your advice concerning the front porch and steps to a home built about 100 years ago of river stones. The mortar is fallling apart, and the local old-head mason my dear mother had look at it simply said " the solution may come to me in a dream, or a renaisance mason might be able to repair these steps. If you want to hear more about this, please message me. I have watched many of your videos, and enjoyed and learned a lot! My email should be part of this message. If not, let me know. Happy Thanksgiving! I have photos of the situation...

Hello Mike, I'm from Northern New Jersey & I'm contemplating going to Maine School of Masonry or joining BAC Local #4 as an apprentice. I want your opinion on what route to take since you've worked both union & private. Thanks

Heard leave a 1/8 th inch gap for the crown with no cement so it dont crack when expanding.

Beat channel on you tube

Hey mike when cutting a glue. Say it’s 10 inches take the tape and put the measurement on the end of the flue. And then trace the line

Can you come to Indiana and do my roof? Wow what a nice job!

Whatz a repair like that cost? I'm in NE Pa myself, and mine looks like that one...just trying g to figure out what I'm looking at cost wise

How do you recover the peices that fall in the flue ?

Mike I live in Nanaimo BC the other night the house across the street exploded the blast broke my windows and shook my house the top of the chinemy dislocated by half a brick its 110 years old can the top be rebuilt? I think so but insurance guy wants it taken down it's part of the aesthetic of the old building what you think?

Why no expansion joint between flue and cap?

What kind of cement you are using to bond the flues? Thanks

Is a Chimney Cap really needed? If yes, full top mount or full cover side mount? Dual flue, 24" x 37" outside brick. A $1000 for a 19x31 top-mount cap seems expensive?

Hi Mike, i have a brick chimney (two flues, the one that's in use is metal lined) in southern UK which i've just partly rebuilt using a 1:1:5 mortar. I need to put a cap on it but not sure what mix to use, concrete or not, the style around is a rounded cap (like a hill) with no drip edge but curving down to meet the edge of the brick. What mix should i use?

I would love a huge walk in hearth like they had in those castles. Cook a moose on a spit huge.

Does the rapid set mortar take high heat Mike ??

I need to grow a pair and get up on my roof.

No expansion joint???

Since that liner had a crack in it, it would have been better to replace the entire 2 foot section. Also, you should put a bead of caulk between the flue tile and the new mortar crown to allow for thermal expansion.

Is that a special mortar across the top of the crown?

Put a stanles steel liner in and youer done

Mike… what would a job like that cost in PA…. ?

No big deal but don't you need to allow for flue expansion/contraction by having a small spacing between crown and flue otherwise the gap will crack.

Ur vids are great mike masonry isn't as hard as I thought if you got half a brain you can really make things look good

These are the cheap sweeps that patch patch patch and the reason they don’t hear back is because the customer calls an actual mason who knows how to lay brick block and stone . They’re the jiffy lube of the mason world

👋🇨🇦👍👍👍

Mike, get a second glove :)

Typo flue

First comment,

Why didn't you sell him a liner

hack job