When people complain about leaks near and around their chimneys, the most likely culprit is the chimney flashing. This is the sheet metal lining the base of chimneys on rooftops. The purpose of this sheet of metal is to keep the area where the chimney intersects with the rooftop watertight.
Time To Work On It
Leaks happen if the roof chimney flashing is either rusted, falling out, improperly installed or just simply missing. Sometimes you’ll find the base of chimneys covered with roofing tar (which is definitely a sign that something’s afoot!). On either case, you’d have to perform chimney flashing repair or install a new one.
You might also want to install new chimney flashing when you install new shingles on your roof. This way, you’ll be sure your flashing will last as long as your new roofing. If you install them properly, you’ll get around 20 to 40 years.
If it’s your first time doing chimney flashing installation or repair by yourself, you could use a few tips. Here they are.
- When buying custom-made saddles, prepare the following information: the exact width of your chimney and the slope of your roof. You will need to give this to sheet metal shops when you order your saddle.
- To make your flashing last longer, you can apply a coat of paint over it. Make sure you clean the surface of the galvanized metal first with lacquer thinner. You could also buy pre-painted metal chimney flashing but these are more expensive.
- Make sure you overlap your flashing properly. Even if you do a very good job, the corners will still be vulnerable. That’s okay. Those small spots can be sealed with high-quality polyurethane caulk. Bear in mind though that caulk cannot make up for poorly overlapped flashing.
- Don’t hesitate to buy safety equipment. You may need a sturdy ladder and roof brackets. If you want to feel much safer, get a safety harness, rope-grab, lanyard and a roof anchor. These items are well worth the investment.
Be sure to inspect your chimney and your flashing once every couple of years for any open corners, leaks and other problems. Make repairs as necessary.
If you do properly perform chimney flashing steps, you’ll be able to fix your leaks and save hundreds of dollars in the process. Just be sure to apply some of the tips above so that you can do it like pros do, even if it is your first time.