Step flashing
Loose step flashing is reset or renewed with every piece lapped correctly.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Jarrettsville, MD
Leaks at the roof line in Jarrettsville usually come from flashing that has pulled loose, rusted through or been patched with tar, before the leak rots the roof deck and framing. Dial (443) 899-3079 to talk with a local chimney sweep about the flashing.
The joint where a chimney passes through the roof is one of the most leak-prone spots on any house, and flashing is what keeps it dry. A chimney and a roof never move together perfectly, so the flashing is made of separate overlapping pieces rather than one solid seal. Over time, sealant dries out, nails back out, metal rusts and the counter flashing pulls out of the mortar joints.
A correctly flashed chimney uses several pieces that work together. Along the sides, individual step flashing pieces are layered with the shingles, while counter flashing is let into the mortar joints and lapped over them. On the uphill side, a cricket keeps water from pooling against the chimney, which matters most on wide chimneys.
A Jarrettsville chimney sweep will want to know a few things about the leak. 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.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Jarrettsville also turn up a need for chimney leak repair or chimney waterproofing.
Looking for Jarrettsville chimney flashing repair? Call (443) 899-3079 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
Here is how a chimney technician typically handles a flashing repair.
Inspect the roof line
All four sides of the chimney are checked, because a leak on one side often starts somewhere else. The attic side of the roof deck is checked for rot as well.
Rule out the masonry
A water test may be used to confirm the flashing is really the problem. New flashing will not stop a leak that starts at the crown.
Strip failed material
The technician strips off old roofing cement and corroded pieces down to the roof deck. Soft or rotted sheathing under the old flashing is repaired first.
Install step flashing
Step flashing goes in one piece per shingle course, so every piece overlaps the one below. An apron goes across the front, and an underlayment membrane is often added around the base for extra protection.
Seal into the mortar
A groove, called a reglet, is cut into the mortar joints, and counter flashing is set into it and folded down over the step flashing. The metal is chosen to last, with copper or coated steel used where the flashing meets mortar.
Build a saddle
On wide chimneys, a cricket is framed and flashed on the uphill side so water and snow are split around the chimney. It solves the most common cause of leaks on the uphill face.
What is included
Flashing work a chimney sweep handles
Chimney saddles
Missing or failed crickets are built or rebuilt and flashed so debris and ice stop collecting there.
Apron flashing
Front flashing is renewed so runoff clears the chimney where water from the chimney face drains off.
Counter flashing
Loose counter flashing is replaced and set into the masonry which closes the most common gap.
Fixing old patches
Layers of roofing cement and caulk from earlier patch jobs are removed and the joint is flashed properly.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Jarrettsville, 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.
For Jarrettsville homeowners planning a new roof, it is worth asking that the chimney flashing be replaced at the same time. The step flashing has to be woven in with the new shingles, so the timing between the roofer and the chimney work matters. While everything is exposed, a quick look at the crown, cap and upper mortar joints can save a second trip onto the roof.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Jarrettsville, many chimney leaks trace back to flashing that was patched with tar instead of replaced. Across Jarrettsville and nearby places including Fallston, Bel Air North, Bel Air and Pleasant Hills, the chimneys that leak most are the ones where water and snow collect on the uphill side, and fixing it before the decking rots keeps the repair small.
For chimney flashing repair in Jarrettsville, MD or nearby towns like Fallston, Bel Air North, Bel Air and Pleasant Hills, call (443) 899-3079 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, which is how cracks, loose bricks and leaks start. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Jarrettsville, MD schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Jarrettsville know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket is a little ridge framed behind the chimney so water flows around it instead of pooling against it. Without one, water, leaves and ice collect behind a wide chimney and work their way under the flashing. Building codes generally require a cricket on chimneys more than about thirty inches wide that do not meet the ridge.
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. When the flashing itself is the problem, sealant just hides it for a season. 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. Old flashing reused under a new roof often leaks within a few years.
Can chimney flashing be repaired, or does it need replacing?
What the metal looks like decides that. Sound flashing with a loose top edge can usually be reset into a fresh cut in the mortar. If it is rusted through, badly bent or buried under old tar, replacement is the better value.
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. A leak in the firebox is more likely the cap or crown, while a leak along the ceiling beside the chimney is more often the flashing. A water test can confirm it before any work is done.
More questions? Call (443) 899-3079
Other services that may help
Chimney Leak Repair
Stopping chimney leaks at the source, whether the drip shows up in the attic, the ceiling or the firebox.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Treating chimney brick and mortar with a breathable water repellent, as the last step in keeping a chimney dry.
Learn moreChimney Crown Repair
Sealing cracked chimney crowns or rebuilding crumbling ones, 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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