Chimney Flashing Repair in Hudson, WI
Hudson Roofing Pros repairs chimney flashing on homes in Hudson, WI, replacing the step flashing and counter-flashing where the chimney meets the roof, and adding a cricket behind wide chimneys, so water stops running into the house around the chimney.
Available now · Open 24 hours
- Licensed
- Insured
- Since 2016
- Certified Technicians
- 10-Year Workmanship Warranty
- GAF Certified Contractor
Why Does Water Leak Around Your Hudson Chimney?
Water leaks around a Hudson chimney when the flashing that seals the joint between the brick and the roof has pulled loose, rusted, cracked or lost its seal, or when snow and water pile up behind a wide chimney that has no cricket. The chimney and the roof are built separately and move separately, so the flashing has to bridge a joint that never stays quite still.
Our winters make it worse. Snow drifts against the uphill side of a chimney and melts against the brick for weeks, and a joint patched with tar or caulk instead of proper metal flashing gives way first.
When water shows up near a chimney, our roof leak repair work first confirms the flashing is the cause, and the fix is part of our wider roof repair service.
Wide chimneys
Over 30 inches needs a cricket
A chimney wider than 30 inches on its uphill side needs a small peaked cricket behind it to shed water and snow.
Signs Your Hudson Chimney Flashing Needs Repair
Your Hudson chimney flashing needs repair when you see stains on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney, wet wood in the attic along the chimney, or metal at the brick that is loose, rusted or covered in tar patches. Ice or snow that sits behind the chimney all winter is a warning sign too.
Stains Beside the Chimney
Brown rings on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney mean water is getting in at the joint.
Wet Wood in the Attic
Dark, damp rafters or decking along the chimney in the attic show where the water runs.
Loose or Rusted Metal
Flashing that has lifted from the brick or rusted through no longer sheds water.
Tar and Caulk Patches
Thick patches of roof tar or caulk usually cover flashing that was never done right and will crack again.
Gaps at the Mortar Joint
Counter-flashing set into the mortar can work loose as the mortar wears, leaving a gap at the top.
Ice Behind the Chimney
Snow and ice that build up on the uphill side point to a missing or too-small cricket.
Seeing water stains next to your Hudson chimney?
Call us or send the form, and we'll check the flashing and the cricket.
How We Repair Chimney Flashing
We repair chimney flashing by removing the old flashing and the shingles around the chimney, checking the deck, then installing new step flashing woven in with the shingles and counter-flashing set into the brick above it. Where the chimney is wide, we build a cricket behind it.
- 1
Remove the Old Flashing
We take off the failed flashing, old tar patches and the shingles around the chimney.
- 2
Check the Deck
Rotted or soft decking around the chimney is replaced before anything new goes on.
- 3
Build a Cricket if Needed
Behind a chimney wider than 30 inches, we frame and flash a cricket to split the water around it.
- 4
Install Step Flashing
New step flashing goes in with each course of shingles up both sides of the chimney.
- 5
Set the Counter-Flashing
Counter-flashing is set into the mortar joints and laps over the step flashing, at least 6 inches up the brick.
- 6
Re-Shingle and Clean Up
We lay the shingles back around the chimney, check the joint and leave the job site clean.
If the brick, mortar or chimney crown itself is failing, we tell you, so the flashing is not set into masonry that will let water in anyway.
Does Your Hudson Chimney Need New Flashing or Just a Reseal?
Your Hudson chimney needs only a reseal when the flashing metal is sound and correctly installed but its sealant or mortar joint has worn, and it needs new flashing when the metal is rusted, loose, missing or covered in tar patches. Tar spread over old flashing is a sign it is time for new metal.
Reseal when
- The step and counter-flashing are both there and solid
- Only the sealant at the top edge has cracked
- The counter-flashing has worked a little loose from the mortar
- The leak is new and the deck is dry
Replace the flashing when
- The metal is rusted through or bent
- There is no counter-flashing, only tar or caulk
- A chimney over 30 inches wide has no cricket
- The leak has run long enough to soften the deck
Related joints often fail the same way, and our roof flashing repair work handles walls, vents and valleys too.
Not sure if your chimney flashing needs repairing or replacing?
We'll look at it up close and tell you which it needs.
What Does Chimney Flashing Repair Cost in Hudson?
Chimney flashing repair costs $200 to $300 on a national range, not a quote, since no cost guide publishes a Hudson figure. The price rises when the deck around the chimney has rotted or a wide chimney needs a cricket built behind it.
Chimney flashing repair costs
national rangesYour price depends on the chimney's size, the roof's pitch and what we find under the shingles.
Wisconsin Rules for Chimney Flashing on Hudson Homes
Wisconsin's dwelling code requires every chimney-roof joint to be flashed and counter-flashed at least 6 inches high, and a cricket or saddle on the upper side of any chimney more than 30 inches wide. When we repair chimney flashing, we build it to those rules.
In the city of Hudson, chimney flashing repair needs no building permit unless it includes structural changes or repairs. In the villages and towns around Hudson, we confirm the permit rules with your local building inspector before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQs
What Is a Chimney Cricket?
A chimney cricket is a small peaked roof built on the uphill side of a chimney to split water and snow around it. Wisconsin's dwelling code requires one behind any chimney more than 30 inches wide.
Why Does My Chimney Only Leak in Winter?
A chimney that leaks only in winter usually has snow and ice building up behind it, or an ice dam nearby, pushing meltwater past the flashing. A missing or undersized cricket is a common cause on wide chimneys.
Will Caulk Stop a Chimney Leak?
Caulk stops a chimney leak only for a while when the flashing underneath is sound. Where there is no proper step flashing and counter-flashing, caulk and tar crack again and the leak comes back.
Can Chimney Flashing Be Repaired in Winter?
Yes, chimney flashing can be repaired in winter, with extra care for the shingles around it. Shingle makers treat 40°F and below as cold-weather installation, so we hand-seal the shingles we re-lay as the manufacturer directs.
Is Chimney Flashing Part of the Roof or the Chimney?
Chimney flashing is part of the roof, since it is woven in with the shingles, though the counter-flashing is set into the chimney's mortar. That is why a roofer, not a mason, usually repairs it.
Get a chimney flashing repair estimate
Tell us where the water shows up around your chimney, and we'll check the flashing and cricket. Send the form or call us any time.
Call now (651) 691-2168 Open 24 hours, 7 days a week