Apron flashing
The apron across the downhill face is replaced or resealed where water from the chimney face drains off.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Huntingtown, MD
A chimney sweep in Huntingtown can repair or replace the flashing where the chimney passes through the roof, the most common source of chimney leaks into attics and ceilings, with step and counter flashing instead of caulk. Dial (443) 968-7369 to talk with a local chimney sweep about the flashing.
Flashing is the layered metal seal around the base of a chimney, and it is behind more chimney leaks than any other part. The chimney and the roof move independently as the house settles and as temperatures swing, so the seal between them has to allow for movement. Eventually caulk cracks, fasteners loosen, steel rusts and the top edge of the flashing separates from the brick.
Proper flashing has a few distinct parts. Step flashing is a series of L-shaped pieces woven in with each course of shingles along the sides of the chimney, and counter flashing covers the top edge of the step flashing and is set into a groove cut in the mortar joints. A front apron covers the downhill face, and on the uphill face a cricket or saddle diverts water and snow around the chimney.
Before the visit, a little information speeds things up. Mention where the water shows up, how often it leaks and how old the roof is. If you can see black tar smeared around the chimney, say so, because that usually means earlier patches have already failed.
Chimney Flashing Repair is often paired with chimney leak repair and chimney waterproofing, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Huntingtown, MD right now? Call (443) 968-7369 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The flashing repair process
Here is how a chimney technician typically handles a flashing repair.
Look at every side
Each part of the flashing is inspected, along with the condition of the surrounding roofing. The attic side of the roof deck is checked for rot as well.
Confirm the source
Before replacing flashing, the crown, cap and brick are checked, since they can send water down the same path. That keeps you from paying for new flashing when the leak is somewhere else.
Clear the old work
Failed sealant and damaged flashing come off so the new work starts on a clean, sound surface. Soft or rotted sheathing under the old flashing is repaired first.
Install step flashing
Individual L-shaped step flashing pieces are layered with the shingles up each side of the chimney. The front apron and a self-adhering membrane around the chimney add a second line of defense.
Cut a reglet
The top layer is set into the masonry itself, overlapping the step flashing below. Copper and coated steel are common choices, since bare aluminum can corrode where it meets mortar.
Add a cricket
Where water pools behind the chimney, a cricket, also called a saddle, is built to shed it. It keeps debris and ice from building up behind the chimney.
What is included
Types of flashing repair
Side flashing
Side flashing is rebuilt piece by piece with the shingles so water runs down the roof instead of under it.
Tar patch removal
Old sealant repairs are cleaned off so the repair does not depend on sealant.
Chimney saddles
A cricket is added behind a wide chimney or one where water pools to split water and snow around the chimney.
Cap flashing
Counter flashing that has pulled out of the mortar is reset into a fresh reglet instead of being held on with caulk.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Huntingtown, MD
Full replacement is the better choice when flashing is corroded, loose along much of its length or buried under layers of failed tar. It is a full redo of the joint, from the underlayment up to the counter flashing in the mortar. Many roofers reuse old chimney flashing when they replace shingles, which is a common reason new roofs leak at the chimney.
If you are replacing the roof on a Huntingtown home, that is the ideal time to replace the chimney flashing too. Plan it so the masonry side of the job, cutting the reglet and setting counter flashing, happens while the shingles are going on. With the roof open, it makes sense to check the rest of the chimney top as well.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Huntingtown, many chimney leaks trace back to flashing that was patched with tar instead of replaced. From Huntingtown out to neighboring communities such as Prince Frederick, Chesapeake Beach, Owings and Golden Beach, freeze-thaw and summer heat both work on the joint between the chimney and the roof, and fixing it before the decking rots keeps the repair small.
Need chimney flashing repair around Huntingtown? Call (443) 968-7369 for a Huntingtown chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a chimney
The heating season here is shorter than up north, yet most winters bring plenty of cold nights by the fire. The ground and the masonry freeze and thaw many times each winter instead of staying frozen, and heavy rain through the year keeps chimneys wet. Warm, humid summers bring animals and damp odors to chimneys that sit unused. Most chimney cleaning in Huntingtown is booked in the fall, before the first cold snap.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Sweeps who know Huntingtown
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Huntingtown and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
Why does my chimney flashing keep leaking after it was sealed?
Sealants dry out in the sun and split in the cold, so a leak patched with tar usually comes back. If the step or counter flashing is missing, rusted or installed wrong, no amount of sealant will fix it. The leak may also be coming from the crown, cap or brick, which no flashing repair will touch.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
The roof replacement is the best time to do it. Proper step flashing goes in with the shingles, so it is easiest when they are being replaced. Many leaks on newer roofs come from reused chimney flashing.
Should I repair or replace my chimney flashing?
What the metal looks like decides that. If the flashing is in good shape but the counter flashing has pulled out of the mortar, it can often be reset and resealed. If it is rusted through, badly bent or buried under old tar, replacement is the better value.
What is a chimney cricket?
Also known as a saddle, a cricket is a small roof section behind the chimney that diverts runoff to either side. Wide chimneys block a lot of runoff, and without a cricket that water sits against the flashing. Common building codes call for a cricket on chimneys wider than about thirty inches, unless the chimney sits at the ridge.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Stains beside the chimney, dark wood in the attic and loose or corroded metal at the roof line are the usual giveaways. Water inside the fireplace points higher up, while water along the chimney chase or ceiling points to the roof joint. Testing with a hose confirms which part is leaking.
More questions? Call (443) 968-7369
Often needed together
Chimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, before the water rots framing or ruins the flue.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Treating chimney brick and mortar with a breathable water repellent, applied after repairs so the brick sheds water but can still dry out.
Learn moreChimney Crown Repair
Fixing cracked, thin or crumbling chimney crowns, before freeze-thaw damage spreads down the chimney.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Repairs for the masonry, crown, flashing and flue of a damaged chimney, so the chimney stays dry and safe to use.
Learn more
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Call (443) 968-7369 for a local chimney sweep in Huntingtown and nearby towns.
(443) 968-7369
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