Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me

Chimney leak repair starts with one question: where is the water really getting in? A stain on the ceiling next to the fireplace does not always mean the flashing failed. Chimneys leak from the top, through the brick face and at the flashing, and each one needs a different repair. Guessing wrong means paying for new flashing and still watching the stain grow.

Water from the top of the chimney

The crown is the concrete slab that caps the chimney around the flue. A good crown slopes away from the flue, overhangs the brick and has a drip edge underneath. Many crowns are really just a flat layer of mortar, and those crack within a few years. Water that gets through a cracked crown runs down inside the chimney, and freeze-thaw cycles push the brick apart from the inside.

An open flue lets rain straight in. During a hard storm, an uncapped chimney can take in a surprising amount of water. It rusts the damper and stains the firebox. Chimney crown repair and chimney cap installation stop both problems. We use 304 stainless steel or copper caps with mesh screens, since galvanized caps rust and streak the brick.

Water through the brick

Brick and mortar are porous. On an exposed chimney, wind-driven rain soaks into the masonry and works its way down to the attic. The leak shows up in the same place a flashing leak would, which is why so many homeowners get new flashing and keep leaking.

The fix is chimney tuckpointing for open mortar joints, followed by chimney waterproofing with a breathable siloxane repellent once the new mortar has cured. Breathable matters. Paint and clear sealers trap water inside the brick, and when that water freezes, it pops the faces off the bricks.

Water at the flashing

When the crown and brick are sound, the flashing is the next suspect. Step flashing replacement and counter flashing repair are the most common chimney leak repairs we do. A leak that only shows up when rain comes from one direction points to the flashing on that side.

Leaks that look like chimney leaks

Not every leak near the roof is a chimney. On homes without masonry chimneys, and on plenty of homes with them, we fix:

• Wall and sidewall flashing, where a porch roof or dormer meets the wall, including missing kick-out flashing at the bottom.
• Skylight flashing, where roof cement was used instead of step flashing and a proper head and sill.
• Vent pipe boots, where UV has cracked the rubber collar around a plumbing vent.
• Valley flashing, where a roof valley dumps water straight into the side of a chimney.

When it is leaking right now

If water is coming through the ceiling during a storm, emergency chimney leak tarping comes first. Our crew wraps the chimney and the slope above it with a reinforced tarp fastened with battens, then returns for the permanent chimney leak repair once the roof dries. Call (833) 583-1301 to talk it through.