Level 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.
Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap & Crown in Ellicott City: What to Know First
We provide independent Olympia Chimney cap and crown service in Ellicott City, with most jobs completed in a single visit and upfront pricing before any work begins. A standard Olympia Chimney cap replacement runs $280-$520; crown repair or coating typically falls between $340-$780 depending on accessibility and damage. We are not affiliated with or authorized by Olympia Chimney - we are an independent service provider who has worked on their products across Howard County for over two decades.
This page is for homeowners who already know they have an Olympia Chimney component on their stack and need someone who understands how these specific caps and crowns age in Maryland’s freeze-thaw climate. If you are seeing rust streaks, mortar crumbs in your firebox, or water stains on the ceiling below your chimney, the cap or crown is the first place we look. Call (410) 305-7884 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
How Olympia Chimney Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Olympia Chimney stainless single-flue caps (OS series): The OS-series mesh hoods are built from 304 stainless, but the spot-welded corner seams crack after 8-12 years in Ellicott City’s wet winters. Water gets behind the cap, freezes in the flue tile, and spalls the crown below. We replace with a Gelco or Olympia-compatible cap using fully seam-welded construction, or we can fabricate a custom cap for odd flue dimensions common in 1970s Ellicott City split-levels.
- Olympia Chimney multi-flue caps (OM series): The OM-series lid overhang is often undersized for Maryland rainfall intensity. During heavy spring storms, water sheets off the lid and soaks the crown edge. We see this constantly in neighborhoods near the Patapsco River valley where wind-driven rain hits harder. Our fix: install an extended drip edge or step up to a larger Gelco multi-flue cap with a true 2-inch overhang, then seal the crown with HeatShield CrownCoat.
- Olympia Chimney galvanized economy caps: These were common on builder-grade homes in Ellicott City’s 1990s developments. The galvanized coating fails from the inside out - flue gases condense on the underside, and rust bleeds down the flue face before you ever see it from the ground. By then the crown is saturated. We pull the cap, assess the crown with a camera, and replace with stainless or copper. No point putting a new galvanized cap on a damaged crown.
- Olympia Chimney crown construction: Factory-built crowns on Olympia systems are poured to minimum thickness, 1.5 inches at best. In Ellicott City, that thin edge flakes off after 5-7 freeze cycles. We rebuild to a 2-inch minimum with a proper drip edge, or apply HeatShield CrownSeal if the structural concrete is sound but cracked. The flue doesn’t lie - we just translate what it’s telling you.
- Olympia Chimney chase covers on prefab units: The stamped steel chase covers on Olympia prefab fireplaces rust at the field-formed corners where the metal was stressed during fabrication. Water pools behind the siding, rots the framing, and the homeowner thinks they have a roof leak. We replace with a proper copper or stainless chase cover, or fabricate one in-house for non-standard chase dimensions we encounter in older Ellicott City townhomes.
Our Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap & Crown Process
- 1
Call and schedule: A live person answers, day or night. We ask for your chimney’s approximate age, any visible symptoms, and whether you know the Olympia Chimney model. We book a window and confirm the day before.
- 2
Level-2 camera inspection: Our technician arrives in uniform, runs a camera up the flue, and photographs the crown, cap, and flue interior from the top down. You see the images on a tablet while we explain what we are looking at. No guesswork.
- 3
Parts decision: If your Olympia Chimney cap is still manufactured, we quote OEM. If it is discontinued or the OEM design was the root cause of failure, we quote a quality aftermarket equivalent from Gelco or Famco - same or better gauge, better warranty, often lower cost. You decide before we proceed.
- 4
The repair: Cap replacements take 45-90 minutes. Crown repair requires a full day for proper curing if we pour new concrete; CrownSeal or CrownCoat applications cure in hours. We protect your roof and landscaping, and we do not leave until the work area is clean.
- 5
Testing and documentation: We run water over the cap and crown, check for infiltration with the camera, and provide photos of the completed work plus a written report. The 90-Day Done Right Promise is included on every invoice - in writing, no arguing.
- 6
Follow-up: We call within two weeks to confirm you are satisfied. If something is not right, we come back. That is the Keystone Standard.
What Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Ellicott City
| Service | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Olympia Chimney cap replacement (standard single-flue) | $280-$420 | Flue size, roof pitch, stainless vs. copper |
| Olympia Chimney multi-flue cap replacement | $380-$520 | Lid size, mesh gauge, custom fabrication |
| Crown repair (crack sealing with CrownCoat) | $340-$580 | Crown size, number of cracks, accessibility |
| Crown rebuild (concrete pour) | $620-$780 | Scaffolding needs, flue count, weather conditions |
| Chase cover replacement (prefab units) | $450-$690 | Material (galvanized/stainless/copper), custom sizing |
These are real numbers for Ellicott City, not teaser rates. The estimate we give is the invoice you pay. Senior and veteran discounts apply - 5% off any job. Call (410) 305-7884 for a free estimate; we will give you an exact figure after seeing your chimney, not a ballpark over the phone.
Why Ellicott City Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Olympia Chimney Work
We have been on roofs in Ellicott City since 1984. Russell Haines learned the trade at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and has spent the better part of two decades running chimney work across Howard County, including regular calls to homes near the historic Patapsco Female Institute ruins. He reads a flue quietly and carefully, without jumping to conclusions, and our crew works to that same standard.
Our 90-Day Done Right Promise means if it is not right, we make it right - in writing, no paperwork, no arguing. We carry professional-grade materials from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield, so we are never stuck waiting on a single supplier. Most jobs finish in one visit. A live person answers the phone 24 hours a day. Done right - and we stand behind it.
FAQs
No. Routine maintenance and repair by an independent technician does not void your warranty, provided we use compatible parts and do not modify the flue assembly. We are an independent Olympia Chimney service provider, not an authorized dealer, and we document every step so warranty claims remain clean if you ever need them.
A quality stainless cap lasts 15-20 years; the original galvanized caps often fail in 7-10 years due to our wet winters and freeze-thaw cycling. We inspect the crown beneath at the same time, since a bad crown will destroy even a new cap. Call (410) 305-7884 and we will check both - estimates are free.
Some OS and OM series caps are still manufactured; discontinued lines we match with Gelco or Famco equivalents that fit the same flue dimensions. We carry common sizes on the truck and can fabricate custom caps in-house for the oddball flue sizes found in Ellicott City’s 1960s and 70s housing stock.
Hairline cracks and minor spalling get CrownSeal or CrownCoat if the concrete is still structurally sound. We determine this with a camera inspection and a physical probe. If the crown is less than 1 inch thick at the edge, crumbling to gravel, or separating from the flue tile, we rebuild it. We show you the photos and explain which category you are in before quoting.
A cracked crown lets water into the chimney structure. In Ellicott City, that water freezes, expands, and turns a $400 crown coat into a $2,000+ rebuild involving brickwork and possibly liner damage. The risk is real but not urgent on a measured timeline - call (410) 305-7884 for a camera inspection and we will tell you honestly whether it can wait.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Ellicott City and nearby areas.





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