Step flashing
Loose step flashing is reset or renewed to stop leaks along the sides of the chimney.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Willow Street, PA
A chimney sweep in Willow Street 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. Call (223) 244-3839 to reach a local chimney sweep.
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. 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. Years of sun, freezing and thawing loosen the counter flashing, rust thin metal and dry out every bead of caulk.
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. On the uphill side, a cricket keeps water from pooling against the chimney, which matters most on wide chimneys.
Before the visit, a little information speeds things up. It helps to know the age of the roof, which side of the chimney the stain is on and whether it only leaks during heavy rain or snowmelt. If you can see black tar smeared around the chimney, say so, because that usually means earlier patches have already failed.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney flashing repair in Willow Street, PA can go hand in hand with chimney leak repair and chimney waterproofing.
Dealing with this in Willow Street, PA right now? Call (223) 244-3839 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The flashing repair process
Here is how a chimney technician typically handles a flashing repair.
Inspect the roof line
The technician checks the apron, step flashing, counter flashing and back pan or cricket, plus the shingles around the chimney. The attic side of the roof deck is checked for rot as well.
Rule out the masonry
Before replacing flashing, the crown, cap and brick are checked, since they can send water down the same path. It makes sure the repair matches the actual source.
Clear the old work
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.
Side 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.
Set counter flashing
Counter flashing is let into a cut in the mortar joint and lapped over the step flashing so water cannot get behind it. 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
Counter flashing
Counter flashing that has pulled out of the mortar is reset into a fresh reglet which closes the most common gap.
Apron flashing
Front flashing is renewed so runoff clears the chimney to keep the front edge watertight.
Tar patch removal
Layers of roofing cement and caulk from earlier patch jobs are removed and the joint is flashed properly.
Chimney saddles
A saddle is framed on the uphill side so debris and ice stop collecting there.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Willow Street, PA
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. Reusing worn flashing under new shingles is one of the most frequent causes of chimney leaks on newer roofs.
In Willow Street, the easiest moment to replace chimney flashing is while the roof is already torn off. 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
In Willow Street, flashing tends to fail first on older roofs and on chimneys that sit below a long run of roof. Across Willow Street and nearby places including Conestoga, Lancaster, Strasburg and Millersville, the chimneys that leak most are the ones where water and snow collect on the uphill side, which is why a real flashing repair outlasts another round of tar.
Searching for chimney flashing repair near me from Willow Street or Conestoga, Lancaster, Strasburg and Millersville? Call (223) 244-3839 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
Chimneys in this climate
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. 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, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. That is why chimney cleaning in Willow Street is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Willow Street and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
Should I repair or replace my chimney flashing?
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. Corroded, damaged or heavily patched flashing is usually replaced outright.
Why did caulking my chimney flashing not stop the leak?
Caulk and roofing tar only seal the surface, and they crack and pull loose as the chimney and roof expand and contract. 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.
What are the signs of bad chimney flashing?
The most common sign is a water stain on the ceiling or wall right next to the chimney, or wet wood beside the chimney in the attic. 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.
Why would my chimney need a cricket?
A cricket is a little ridge framed behind the chimney so water flows around it instead of pooling against it. 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.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
Replacing it during a reroof is strongly recommended. Since step flashing is layered with the shingles, replacing it later means disturbing the new roof. Reusing old flashing under new shingles is one of the most common causes of chimney leaks on newer roofs.
More questions? Call (223) 244-3839
Other services that may help
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
Waterproofing masonry chimneys with vapor-permeable repellents, not paint, applied after repairs so the brick sheds water but can still dry out.
Learn moreChimney Crown Repair
Sealing cracked chimney crowns or rebuilding crumbling ones, with a proper overhang and drip edge.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Chimney repairs from the cap and crown down to the firebox, so the chimney stays dry and safe to use.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Willow Street chimney sweep about chimney flashing repair
Call (223) 244-3839 to talk to a chimney sweep serving Willow Street, PA.
(223) 244-3839
Free to call. No forms to fill out.