Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap & Crown in Philadelphia: What to Know First
As an independent Olympia Chimney service provider, we install, repair, and replace chimney caps and crowns on Olympia Chimney systems throughout Philadelphia, typically completing the work in a single visit with upfront pricing agreed to before we start. Most calls turn into scheduled jobs within 24 to 48 hours, and every cap and crown job carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If you own an Olympia Chimney liner, cap, or crown and you’re seeing rust streaks, masonry cracks, or water in the firebox, this page covers what we find, what it costs, and how we fix it. Call (866) 580-4069 anytime - a live person answers, even at midnight on a Sunday.
How Olympia Chimney Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Olympia 316Ti stainless caps with crevice corrosion at the seam welds. The titanium-stabilized alloy resists acid well, but the rolled-seam construction on older production runs traps condensation where the lid meets the skirt. In Philadelphia’s freeze-thaw cycle, that trapped water opens hairline cracks that look like surface rust but go through. We pull the cap, inspect the flue wall beneath, and replace with a fully seam-welded Gelco or new Olympia cap with improved joint geometry - never just paint over it.
- Olympia Wind-Directional caps that seize in one position after three to five winters. The brass bushing in the rotating collar galls against the stainless spindle, usually because homeowners in neighborhoods like East Falls and Roxborough never get them serviced. A stuck wind cap is worse than no cap - it blocks draft on certain days and overheats on others. We free or replace the bushing assembly, and if the spindle is scored, we source the correct Olympia replacement rather than forcing a generic fit.
- Olympia Multi-Flue caps with sagging lids on wide masonry chimneys. The cross-brace design on 30-inch and 36-inch spans wasn’t always gusseted properly in runs from the late 2000s. Snow load plus the weight of a Philadelphia winter’s worth of ice buildup bows the lid, creating a pond that rusts through from the top. We measure the actual span, check the flue spacing, and either reinforce with a custom-fabricated gusset or move to a heavier-gauge Copperfield multi-flue cap with proper cross-members.
- Crown wash failure on chimneys with Olympia liner top plates. The top plate sits proud of the flue tile by design, but if the original mason didn’t slope the crown wash away from it, water runs backward and pools against the plate rim. We’ve seen this exact pattern in dozens of Mount Airy and Germantown rowhouses. We grind back the bad wash, re-pitch with a proper drip edge, and seal with HeatShield CrownCoat - not generic mortar that’ll crack next January.
- Olympia Draft-Increasing caps with clogged secondary air channels. The internal baffles that create the venturi effect pack with soot and mortar fragments, especially after a partial chimney fire or a crown wash that shed debris downward. The homeowner notices “smoke backing up sometimes” but the flue is clear. We disassemble the cap, clean the air passages with the right brushes so we don’t deform the thin stainless baffles, and reassemble with fresh gaskets.
Our Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap & Crown Process
- 1
Call and schedule. A live person answers, notes your Olympia Chimney model if you know it, and books a window. We show up when we say.
- 2
Level-2 camera inspection. We run a camera the full flue length, photograph the crown, cap, and top plate from the roof, and give you a plain-English verdict with the photos on a tablet right there. Carl Bridwell started doing this after too many Philadelphia homeowners got sold caps they didn’t need.
- 3
Parts decision. If your Olympia cap is under warranty and the failure is a known defect, we explain your OEM option. If it’s out of warranty or the OEM lead time is three weeks, we quote a quality aftermarket equivalent from Gelco or Copperfield that matches the specs - no guesswork, no builder-grade substitutions.
- 4
The repair. Crown jobs get ground back to sound masonry, reformed with proper slope and drip edge, and sealed with HeatShield CrownCoat or a poured crown if the damage is deep. Cap jobs get proper fitment, storm collar sealing, and torque on the fasteners - not hand-tight.
- 5
Post-repair test. We run a draft test with a manometer, check for leaks with a smoke pencil, and photo-document the finished work. You see what we saw, what we did, and what it looks like now.
- 6
Cleanup and guarantee. We haul away the old material, leave the roof and hearth cleaner than we found them, and hand you the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, we come back. No paperwork, no arguing.
What Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Philadelphia
| Job Type | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Olympia cap replacement (standard single-flue) | $340 - $620 | Flue diameter, roof pitch, whether the flue tile needs repair |
| Olympia multi-flue cap replacement | $580 - $1,100 | Span width, gusseting needs, access difficulty on flat roofs |
| Crown repair with HeatShield CrownCoat | $480 - $890 | Crack depth, area covered, whether we rebuild the edge first |
| Full crown rebuild (poured concrete) | $1,200 - $2,400 | Chimney size, scaffold needs, liner top plate resealing |
| Wind-Directional cap service (seized assembly) | $180 - $340 | Spindle condition, bushing replacement vs. full cap swap |
These are Philadelphia market ranges for 2024-2025, based on what we’ve actually billed on Olympia Chimney jobs in neighborhoods from Port Richmond to West Oak Lane. The number on your estimate is the number on your invoice. Call (866) 580-4069 for an exact quote - estimates are free, and we don’t charge for showing up.
Why Philadelphia Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. of Philadelphia for Olympia Chimney Work
We’ve been working on Philadelphia chimneys since 1984. That’s long enough to remember when Olympia Chimney first showed up in local supply houses, and long enough to know which production runs had which quirks. Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and trained on the full line of professional-grade brands we carry - Olympia Chimney, DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Famco, and Copperfield - so if your Olympia part is back-ordered, we have a verified equivalent in the van, not a guess from a big-box store.
The 90-Day Done Right Promise governs everything we do: Krafted right, Every time, Your home first, Standing behind it. If it’s worth burning wood in, it’s worth knowing what’s above it. We’ll be there when we say. Photos you can see, a plain-English verdict. A square deal: no surprises on the bill.
FAQs
Will repairing my Olympia chimney cap void my warranty?
No - using an independent service provider like us does not void your Olympia Chimney warranty, provided we use compatible parts and correct installation practices. We document our work with photos in case you ever need to file a warranty claim with Olympia. If your cap failure matches a known defect in a specific production run, we’ll flag that and help you pursue OEM replacement first. Call (866) 580-4069 and we’ll check your serial number.
How long does Olympia Chimney cap replacement take?
Most standard single-flue cap replacements take 90 minutes to two hours from ladder set to cleanup. Multi-flue caps or jobs requiring flue tile repair before the cap goes on can run three to four hours. We complete most jobs in a single visit, and we don’t leave until the draft test passes. Call (866) 580-4069 to book - we usually have next-day availability in Philadelphia.
Is it better to repair my Olympia crown or just coat it?
If the crown has through-cracks, spalling deeper than a quarter-inch, or separated from the brick edge, coating alone is a temporary fix and we won’t sell it as permanent. We grind back to sound material, rebuild the edge and slope if needed, then apply HeatShield CrownCoat or pour a new concrete crown. The honest answer depends on what the camera and hammer test show - which is why we inspect first, estimate second, and never pressure you to decide on the spot.
Can you get Olympia Chimney parts quickly?
We stock common Olympia caps and hardware in our Philadelphia warehouse, and we have same-week access to the full catalog through our distributor. For discontinued models or unusual sizes, we can fabricate a compatible solution from Copperfield or Gelco that meets the same specs - we’ll explain the trade-off and price both options. Call (866) 580-4069 with your model number and we’ll confirm availability.
Do you offer a senior discount on Olympia Chimney cap and crown work?
Yes - we maintain a permanent 5% Senior and Veteran discount on all chimney services, including Olympia Chimney cap and crown jobs. We also offer $50 off any repair over $250, and a free second opinion on any written estimate you’ve received elsewhere. The discounts don’t stack, and we’ll tell you upfront which one saves you more on your specific job. Call (866) 580-4069 and we’ll run both numbers.
Written by Carl Bridwell, Owner & Master Sweep, Hearthstone Chimney Co. of Philadelphia at Hearthstone Chimney Co. of Philadelphia, serving Philadelphia and nearby areas.