Crickets
A cricket is added behind a wide chimney or one where water pools to split water and snow around the chimney.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Effort, PA
A Effort chimney technician can reset loose flashing, replace rusted pieces and add a cricket where water piles up behind the chimney, so the joint sheds water the way it was designed to. Dial (570) 613-4907 to talk with a local chimney sweep about the flashing.
Chimney flashing is the metal that seals the gap between the chimney and the roof, and when it fails, water runs straight into the attic. 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.
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. A front apron covers the downhill face, and on the uphill face a cricket or saddle diverts water and snow around the chimney.
A Effort 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.
Chimney Flashing Repair is often paired with chimney leak repair and chimney waterproofing, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Effort, PA right now? Call (570) 613-4907 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a flashing repair
The goal is a joint that sheds water without relying on sealant.
Inspect the roof line
The technician checks the apron, step flashing, counter flashing and back pan or cricket, plus the shingles around the chimney. Where possible, the attic is checked for wet or damaged decking.
Rule out the masonry
Flashing leaks can be confused with crown, cap or brick leaks, so other sources are ruled out. That keeps you from paying for new flashing when the leak is somewhere else.
Clear the old work
Failed sealant and damaged flashing come off so the new work starts on a clean, sound surface. Any rotted decking found underneath is replaced before new flashing goes on.
Install step 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.
Cut a reglet
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.
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. That removes the spot where water sits and soaks into the flashing.
What is included
Flashing work a chimney sweep handles
Front flashing
The apron across the downhill face is replaced or resealed to keep the front edge watertight.
Side flashing
Side flashing is rebuilt piece by piece with the shingles with every piece lapped correctly.
Fixing old patches
Layers of roofing cement and caulk from earlier patch jobs are removed so the repair does not depend on sealant.
Counter flashing
Loose counter flashing is replaced and set into the masonry so water cannot run behind the step flashing.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Effort, PA
When flashing is rusted, bent or covered in years of patches, replacing it outright is usually smarter than another repair. 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.
If you are replacing the roof on an Effort home, that is the ideal time to replace the chimney flashing too. Coordinate the chimney sweep and the roofer so the step flashing goes in with the shingles and the counter flashing is set into the brick. It is also a good time to have the crown and mortar checked, since the roof around the chimney is already open.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Effort, many chimney leaks trace back to flashing that was patched with tar instead of replaced. Across Effort and nearby places including Sun Valley, Sierra View, Indian Mountain Lake and Emerald Lakes, 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.
Searching for chimney flashing repair near me from Effort or Sun Valley, Sierra View, Indian Mountain Lake and Emerald Lakes? Call (570) 613-4907 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: 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. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. That is why chimney cleaning in Effort is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why not wait
Safer fires
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Chimney sweeps in Effort 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
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. The real issue is usually the flashing layers underneath, not the bead on top. Sometimes the source is the masonry or crown above, not the flashing at all.
Should I repair or replace my chimney flashing?
That comes down to the condition of the metal. 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.
Why would my chimney need a cricket?
Also known as a saddle, a cricket is a small roof section behind the chimney that diverts runoff to either side. On a wide chimney, the back side becomes a dam where water and debris sit and eventually leak through. For wider chimneys that do not sit on the ridge, a cricket is usually required by code.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
The roof replacement is the best time to do it. 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.
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. Where the water appears is a clue: the firebox suggests the top of the chimney, and the ceiling beside it suggests flashing. A water test can confirm it before any work is done.
More questions? Call (570) 613-4907
Other services that may help
Chimney Leak Repair
Tracing chimney leaks to the real entry point and sealing it, 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, 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, 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
Looking for something else?
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Call (570) 613-4907 for a local chimney sweep in Effort and nearby towns.
(570) 613-4907
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