Side flashing
Rusted or missing step flashing along the sides is replaced with every piece lapped correctly.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Elkridge, MD
A Elkridge chimney technician can reset loose flashing, replace rusted pieces and add a cricket where water piles up behind the chimney, with step and counter flashing instead of caulk. One call to (443) 899-3078 reaches a nearby chimney flashing pro.
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. 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. 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. The low side gets an apron, and the high side gets a back pan or, on wider chimneys, a cricket that splits the water around the chimney.
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. Visible tar or silicone around the base of the chimney is a sign someone has patched it before, which is worth mentioning.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Elkridge also turn up a need for chimney leak repair or chimney waterproofing.
Need chimney flashing repair in Elkridge? Call (443) 899-3078 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a flashing repair
Flashing repair is about rebuilding the layers so water always runs over a joint, never into it.
Inspect the roof line
All four sides of the chimney are checked, because a leak on one side often starts somewhere else. Where possible, the attic is checked for wet or damaged decking.
Rule out the masonry
A water test may be used to confirm the flashing is really the problem. That keeps you from paying for new flashing when the leak is somewhere else.
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. The front apron and a self-adhering membrane around the chimney add a second line of defense.
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. Surface-mounted flashing held on by caulk alone is avoided because it fails quickly.
Add a cricket
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
What flashing repair covers
Fixing old patches
Failed tar patches are stripped and replaced with real flashing and the joint is flashed properly.
Counter flashing
The top layer of flashing is renewed and properly let into the mortar joints which closes the most common gap.
Chimney saddles
A saddle is framed on the uphill side so debris and ice stop collecting there.
Front flashing
The apron across the downhill face is replaced or resealed to keep the front edge watertight.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Elkridge, MD
Full replacement is the better choice when flashing is corroded, loose along much of its length or buried under layers of failed tar. The old metal comes off completely, and new step flashing, counter flashing, apron and cricket are installed as a system. Reusing worn flashing under new shingles is one of the most frequent causes of chimney leaks on newer roofs.
In Elkridge, 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
Around Elkridge, many chimney leaks trace back to flashing that was patched with tar instead of replaced. Homes in Elkridge and nearby towns like Ilchester, Jessup, Arbutus and Linthicum see the same seasonal cycle of heat, cold, rain and snow that loosens counter flashing and dries out sealant, which is why a real flashing repair outlasts another round of tar.
Need chimney flashing repair around Elkridge? Call (443) 899-3078 for an Elkridge chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Elkridge
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. Most homeowners in Elkridge, MD schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Elkridge know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
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. For wider chimneys that do not sit on the ridge, a cricket is usually required by code.
Can chimney flashing be repaired, or does it need replacing?
That comes down to the condition of the metal. 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.
Do I need new chimney flashing when I replace my roof?
Doing it with the new roof is the smart move in most cases. 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.
Why does my chimney flashing keep leaking after it was sealed?
Surface sealant cannot keep up with the movement between masonry and roof framing, so it fails. If the step or counter flashing is missing, rusted or installed wrong, no amount of sealant will fix it. Sometimes the source is the masonry or crown above, not the flashing at all.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Look for stains near the chimney inside, damp or rotted framing in the attic and flashing that is lifted, rusted or covered in tar outside. 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 controlled water test settles it.
More questions? Call (443) 899-3078
Related services
Chimney Leak Repair
Stopping chimney leaks at the source, before the water rots framing or ruins the flue.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Waterproofing masonry chimneys with vapor-permeable repellents, not paint, to slow freeze-thaw damage and spalling.
Learn moreChimney Crown Repair
Repairing the concrete slab that caps the top of the chimney, before freeze-thaw damage spreads down the chimney.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Repairs for the masonry, crown, flashing and flue of a damaged chimney, matched to what an inspection actually finds.
Learn more
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