Tar patch removal
Failed tar patches are stripped and replaced with real flashing so the repair does not depend on sealant.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Palos Heights, IL
A chimney sweep in Palos Heights 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 (708) 708-7262 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. Because masonry and roof framing expand, contract and settle at different rates, a rigid seal will crack, which is why flashing is built in overlapping layers. 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. A front apron covers the downhill face, and on the uphill face a cricket or saddle diverts water and snow around the chimney.
A Palos Heights 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. Also mention any tar or caulk patches you can see from the ground, since repeated patching usually means the flashing itself has failed.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney flashing repair in Palos Heights, IL can go hand in hand with chimney leak repair and chimney waterproofing.
Need chimney flashing repair in Palos Heights? Call (708) 708-7262 to talk to a local 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 roof deck under the flashing is checked for soft spots.
Test for leaks
Flashing leaks can be confused with crown, cap or brick leaks, so other sources are ruled out. It makes sure the repair matches the actual source.
Strip failed material
Old tar, caulk and loose or rusted metal are removed, and the shingles around the chimney are lifted where needed. Any rotted decking found underneath is replaced before new flashing goes on.
Side flashing
New step flashing is installed piece by piece along the sides, interwoven with each course of shingles. A front apron and a waterproof underlayment complete the lower layers.
Cut a reglet
Counter flashing is let into a cut in the mortar joint and lapped over the step flashing so water cannot get behind it. The metal is chosen to last, with copper or coated steel used where the flashing meets mortar.
Add a cricket
Where water pools behind the chimney, a cricket, also called a saddle, is built to shed it. That removes the spot where water sits and soaks into the flashing.
What is included
Types of flashing repair
Crickets
Missing or failed crickets are built or rebuilt and flashed to split water and snow around the chimney.
Counter flashing
The top layer of flashing is renewed and properly let into the mortar joints instead of being held on with caulk.
Apron flashing
The lower apron is reset over the shingles where water from the chimney face drains off.
Step flashing
Rusted or missing step flashing along the sides is replaced with every piece lapped correctly.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Palos Heights, IL
Chimney flashing replacement makes sense when the metal is rusted through, the counter flashing has pulled out of the mortar or the flashing has been patched so many times that nothing sound is left. It is a full redo of the joint, from the underlayment up to the counter flashing in the mortar. A common shortcut is to reuse the old flashing during a reroof, and that often leads to a leak within a few years.
In Palos Heights, 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. With the roof open, it makes sense to check the rest of the chimney top as well.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Flashing leaks in Palos Heights often show up after a big storm, heavy snow or a roof replacement that reused the old chimney flashing. Across Palos Heights and nearby places including Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, the chimneys that leak most are the ones where water and snow collect on the uphill side, so proper step and counter flashing, and a cricket where needed, is worth doing right once.
For chimney flashing repair in Palos Heights, IL or nearby towns like Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, call (708) 708-7262 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Palos Heights
This part of the country gets long winters, heavy snow in places and stretches of bitter cold. Furnaces, wood stoves and fireplaces run hard from fall to spring, which means fast creosote buildup and a lot of stress on liners, crowns and flashing. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. Most chimney cleaning in Palos Heights, IL happens right before the first snow.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Sweeps who know Palos Heights
Chimney sweeps in Palos Heights know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
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.
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. A water test can confirm it before any work is done.
Should I repair or replace my chimney flashing?
The answer depends on how much of the flashing is still sound. If the flashing is in good shape but the counter flashing has pulled out of the mortar, it can often be reset and resealed. Corroded, damaged or heavily patched flashing is usually replaced outright.
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. It is also possible the water is entering higher up, at the crown or through the brick, and only showing at the flashing.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
Doing it with the new roof is the smart move in most cases. 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 (708) 708-7262
Other services that may help
Chimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
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
Repairing the concrete slab that caps the top of the chimney, so water stops soaking into the masonry from the top.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Fixing cracked crowns, failing mortar, loose brick, leaky flashing and damaged flue tiles, before small damage turns into a rebuild.
Learn more
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