Chimney Flashing Repair in North Dallas: stop the leak where the roof meets the chimney

How chimney flashing keeps water out

A chimney sticks up through the roof, and the joint where the two meet has to shed every drop that runs down the slope above it. That joint is sealed in layers:

• Step flashing: L-shaped pieces of metal woven in with each course of shingles up both sides of the chimney.
• Counter flashing: a second layer fastened to the chimney that laps down over the step flashing, so water can't get behind it.
• Apron flashing across the downhill face of the chimney.
• A cricket on the uphill side: a small peaked section that splits the water around the chimney instead of letting it pond against it. Building code calls for one behind chimneys wider than 30 inches.

When any one of those layers fails, water finds the gap. The usual culprits are flashing that was never stepped in the first place, sealant that has cracked in the sun, and old metal that has rusted through.

Signs your chimney flashing is failing

• A stain on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney, or water in the attic along the chimney framing.
• Loose, bent, or rusted metal you can see from the yard.
• Thick caulk smeared over the joint. That's a sign of an earlier patch, and caulk alone rarely lasts more than a season or two up there.
• Rotted siding or trim at the base of a siding-covered chimney.

Brick chimneys and siding-covered chimneys

A lot of North Texas homes don't have a brick chimney at all. They have a wood-framed chase covered in siding, with a metal flue inside. We repair the flashing on both kinds. On a siding chase, we also fix the soffit, siding, and trim the leak has damaged around the base. What we don't do is brick and mortar. If the chimney itself is cracked, spalling, or needs a new crown, we'll tell you straight and point you to a mason, then come back and flash it once the masonry is done.

What chimney flashing repair costs

Most chimney flashing jobs are a repair, not a new roof. We pull the shingles right around the chimney, install new flashing, and weave the shingles back in. The price depends on the size of the chimney, the roof pitch, whether a cricket needs to be built, and whether water has rotted the decking or the chase underneath. You get a firm written quote after the free inspection. If hail or wind damaged the flashing, it may be part of an insurance claim, and our storm damage team can help with that. Leaks somewhere else on the roof? See roof leak repair.