Protecting Garland's mid-century masonry chimneys from pooling water and freeze-thaw damage — one properly sized cricket at a time.
Drive through Firewheel, Duck Creek, historic downtown Garland, or Camelot and you'll notice the same thing we see on service calls all week: wide masonry chimneys built in the 1960s through 1980s, many of them original to the home. Those chimneys were built to last, but a lot of them were never given a cricket — the small triangular structure that pushes water around a wide chimney instead of letting it pool against the up-slope side. Decades later, with Garland's hail, wind, and freeze-thaw swings working on aged mortar and crowns, that missing piece is often the reason a chimney starts leaking.
Any chimney wider than about 30 inches measured along the roofline is at risk of trapping water, leaves, and debris on its up-slope side. Without a cricket to divert that water into the surrounding roof drainage, it sits against the brick and flashing every time it rains. Over months and years, that standing water works into mortar joints, behind flashing, and into the crown — exactly the kind of slow damage that shows up as a stain on a ceiling long after the actual problem started outside.
A cricket solves this at the source. Sized correctly and tied properly into the roofing and flashing system, it sheds water to either side of the chimney before it has a chance to pool. It's a roof-water-diversion fix, not a patch — which is why we treat it separately from general flashing repair or leak repair work, even though the three often go hand in hand.
Garland's older neighborhoods — Firewheel, Duck Creek, the streets around historic downtown, Camelot — are full of solid, wide masonry chimneys built decades ago, back when a cricket wasn't always standard practice on residential builds. Now those chimneys are reaching the age where crowns crack and mortar joints open up, and Garland's climate doesn't make it easy on them. Hail dents and chips exposed crown surfaces, high wind drives rain sideways into joints that would otherwise stay dry, and the freeze-thaw cycles common to North Texas winters force water in cracks to expand and contract, widening every gap a little more each season. On a chimney without a cricket, all of that water has nowhere to go but against the brick.
Sizing depends on the chimney's width, the roof pitch, and how the surrounding shingles and flashing are laid out. We measure on site rather than guessing, because a cricket that's too small won't move enough water, and one that's poorly tied into the flashing can create a new leak point instead of solving the old one. Installation involves building the diverter to match your roof's pitch and material, then integrating new flashing so the whole assembly sheds water as one system rather than a patchwork of parts.
If any of these sound familiar, a chimney inspection is the right next step — it lets us confirm whether the fix is a cricket, a crown repair, a new cap, or some combination before any work begins.
Serving Firewheel, Duck Creek, downtown Garland, and Camelot with fast, honest cricket installation.
(214) 225-8874Every chimney is different, so we don't quote a flat number without seeing the job. Cost factors include the width of the chimney, the roof pitch and material, how much flashing needs to be replaced alongside the cricket, and the condition of the mortar and crown it's tying into — a chimney with existing damage often needs some of that masonry repair addressed first. Services with Lowes Chimney Sweep start at $99, and we're certified, insured, and 5-star rated across the roughly 98 DFW-area cities we serve, seven days a week including Sundays. For an exact number on your Garland home, request a Free Online Quote and we'll walk the details with you before any work begins. For more on how weather affects local chimneys, see our post on spotting chimney water damage early.
"Very pleased with the professionalism and promptness of service. The chimney sweep was done quickly and efficiently at significantly less cost than the first quote I got from another company. Happy to recommend Lowes Chimney Sweep to anyone in Plano!"
"Outstanding chimney sweep service from start to finish. They were punctual, courteous, and left our chimney spotless with no mess in our home. I won't use anyone else for chimney services in Dallas TX!"
More reviews from homeowners across the metroplex are on our reviews section, or learn more about our team before you book.
If your chimney is wider than about 30 inches and you're seeing water stains, debris buildup, or repeated flashing leaks on the up-slope side, a missing cricket is often the root cause. Many homes in Firewheel and Duck Creek have wide 1960s-1980s chimneys that were never built with one. An inspection can confirm whether a cricket, not just a patch, is the right fix.
Neighborhoods like Camelot and the streets around historic downtown Garland were largely built before crickets were standard on wide residential chimneys. Decades of Garland's hail, wind, and freeze-thaw cycles have since worked on aging crowns and mortar, and without a cricket, water pooling accelerates that wear.
No. A properly installed cricket ties into your existing flashing and shingle lines, and any disturbed roofing material is reflashed and sealed as part of the job. Done correctly, it should look and perform like it was part of the original roof design.
Most cricket installations on a typical Garland home are completed in a single visit, though timing depends on chimney width, roof pitch, and how much flashing needs replacing alongside it. We'll give you a time estimate on site before starting.
Yes, we serve Firewheel, Duck Creek, downtown Garland, Camelot, and the surrounding DFW area seven days a week including Sundays. Call (214) 225-8874 or request a Free Online Quote and we'll go over pricing factors for your specific chimney first.
Straight answers from our DFW chimney pros before you book.
