Chimney Leak Traced to a Failed Crown, Flashing and Spalling Brick — Lake Forest Parkway, Middletown, KY
Documented by David York, Owner · Inspection: September 2026
A Middletown homeowner on Lake Forest Parkway was seeing water inside the house near the chimney. We inspected the exterior masonry chimney in September 2026 and photographed it from the roof and from above. We found more than one way for water to get in, and they all pointed to the same top-down failure: a cracked, mossy crown with no overhang, brick spalling from freeze-thaw, and damaged flashing at the roofline. No repair has been done yet; below is what we documented and what we recommended.
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Problem Identified
Water showing up inside near a chimney almost never has a single cause, and this one didn't either. The crown was the main culprit. The concrete crown at the top of the chimney was cracked through and covered in moss. It had no slope and no overhang, so water sat on top and then ran straight down the face of the brick. It had also been poured directly against the flue tile with no bond break, so it was always going to crack as the concrete and clay moved at different rates.
With water running down it, the brick stayed wet, and freezing winters did the rest. When brick soaks up water and the water freezes, it expands and pops the face off the brick. That's spalling, and spalling this widespread means the brick has been wet for a long time. The flashing where the chimney passes through the roof was a second leak path: damaged or improperly installed, and patched with sealant at the front corner. Even with a perfect crown, water could still get past the roofline here.
Water enters at the crown and runs down the brick, the brick stays saturated, freeze-thaw spalls the faces, and the bad flashing lets more water past the roof. Patching one spot, like caulking the flashing, wouldn't stop the leak. That's why the recommendation covers the whole top of the chimney.
What We Found
- Concrete crown cracked through and covered in moss
- Crown with no slope and no overhang, ending flush with the brick so water runs straight down the face
- Crown poured directly against the flue tile with no bond break
- Widespread freeze-thaw spalling: brick faces flaking off from the top of the chimney down to the roofline
- Moss growth on the top courses, confirming the brick has been staying wet
- Damaged or improperly installed flashing where the chimney passes through the roof, with step flashing lifting away from the brick
- Front-corner flashing smeared with sealant as a stopgap, with broken brick fragments on the shingles
- Rust and wear on the metal chimney cap (not the cause of the leak, but near the end of its life)
What We Recommended
- Formed concrete crown with a drip edge, real overhang and slope so water drips clear of the brick, plus expansion joints around the flue so it doesn't crack again
- Cut out and replace spalled brick: the bricks that have lost their faces come out and new brick goes in, so the chimney isn't left with pitted brick that keeps soaking up water
- Professional-grade breathable water repellent on the whole chimney exterior after the masonry work, to keep rain from soaking into the brick while still letting moisture inside the masonry dry out
- Flash seal application: the flashing where the chimney meets the roof gets repaired and sealed (replaced where it can't be saved), so the roofline stops being a second leak path
Seeing something similar on your chimney? See a related cracked crown inspection on Rolling Lane in St. Matthews, browse all of our inspection findings, or see completed repair projects.
What homeowners say about working with us
“lowkey the technician noticed a small gap in the flashing at the base of the chimney that I never would have seen from the ground. the leak we'd been having was so minor that we assumed it was condensation. it wasn't. getting that sealed properly saved us from what would have been a much bigger repair eventually”
“We had the chimney waterproofed after moisture infiltration was identified during the inspection. Got a clear explanation of how the waterproofing product works and how long it should last. The application was done efficiently and the brickwork looks good. We've had 3 good rainstorms since with no new moisture inside.”
Schedule Your Chimney Inspection
Stains on the ceiling or wall beside the fireplace, flaking brick, or moss near the top of the chimney are worth an inspection before winter freeze-thaw makes them worse. We inspect chimneys across Middletown, Anchorage and nearby Louisville neighborhoods. We'll get on the roof, show you exactly what's happening with photos, and give you an honest answer about what it needs.