Reseal or re-point only
If the metal is sound and the sealant or mortar has simply aged, a reseal or re-pointing at the joint may be enough. It is the least invasive option and often a short-term answer on an older chimney.
Serving Montgomery County
Chimney Flashing and Repair in Souderton
Leaks where a brick or stone chimney meets the roof, and the flashing, saddle and joints that keep them dry.
- Roof repair and full replacement
- Leaks, wind and storm damage
- Connected to a local roofer
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Chimney Flashing
Chimney Flashing and Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Chimney flashing is the layered metal that seals the joint between a chimney and the roof. Leaks there usually come from rusted or loose flashing, cracked mortar where the metal is tucked in, or a missing saddle behind the chimney. Repair resets or replaces the metal. Souderton Roofing serves Montgomery County.
A chimney is the one part of a house that pushes straight up through the roof, and so it is the hardest part to seal. Water runs down the roof, meets the masonry, and has nowhere to go but around it. Every side of the chimney needs its own treatment, and the uphill side takes the worst of it.
Brick and stone age differently from metal and shingle. Mortar joints soften and open, bricks absorb water, and the metal set into those joints works loose a little more each winter. That is a big part of why a chimney can leak for years in small, hard-to-notice ways: a stained ceiling beside the fireplace wall, a damp patch in the attic around the flue, a rust mark on a masonry face.
If you have a stain near a chimney, start by writing down where it is and when it grows. Then call (833) 751-2102, and you are put through to a roofer who serves your town. The roofer inspects the chimney junction, tells you whether it is a flashing question, a masonry question, or both, and says which trades are needed.
- Service area
- Souderton & Montgomery County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
Why do chimneys leak more than other parts of the roof?
A chimney interrupts the roof with a tall block of porous masonry, and every edge needs flashing that is lapped correctly. The joint also moves: brick and metal expand at different rates, mortar weathers, and sealant dries. Water that is stopped on one side finds another route on the next.
Think of it as a four-sided problem. The downhill side sheds water easily, the sides need stepped pieces, and the uphill side takes whatever flows toward it. If any one of those pieces fails, the leak looks the same from inside the house.
That is also why a ceiling stain near the chimney deserves a close look and not a quick dab of sealant. The source may be a few feet from where the water shows.
What does a chimney cricket do?
A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked deflector built behind the chimney on the uphill side. It splits the water and snow running down the slope so they pass around the chimney instead of pooling against it. Wider chimneys benefit most, and many older ones have none.
Without one, debris and snow collect against the flat back of the masonry. Standing water at a joint is the situation flashing is least able to handle. A well-made cricket is flashed in with the same layering as the chimney itself.
If your chimney has a flat back and a history of leaks, ask the roofer whether a cricket makes sense.
Who fixes crumbling mortar and cracked chimney tops?
A mason, not a roofer. Repointing mortar joints, rebuilding a cracked crown and replacing damaged brick are masonry work. A roofer can flag them and coordinate the order so that new flashing is not set into joints that will be reworked. A chimney sweep inspects the flue.
The order matters. Re-pointing first, flashing second keeps the new metal from being disturbed. If you ask the roofer for a list of what they see in the masonry, you can take it to whichever mason you choose.
A roofer cannot tell you whether a flue is in sound condition. That is a sweep or a chimney inspector's work.
Can I use roof cement to stop a chimney leak?
Cement may slow a small leak for a short while, but it is not a lasting fix. It cracks, shrinks and peels, and a thick coat can hide failing metal. Worn flashing needs reworking, and layers of old cement often have to be scraped away before a roofer can see the real problem.
A chimney with a black ring of old cement around it has usually been through at least one patch. That history helps a roofer, but it also means the visible surface may not match what is underneath.
If water is coming in right now, a bucket and a towel buy time. Climbing up is not worth the risk.
Warning signs
Signs you need chimney flashing and repair
Keep clear of the chimney base and the roof around it, which is often wet and slick, and do not climb up to caulk it. If a chimney is leaning, cracked through or loose, stay out of the area below and call.
- A ceiling or wall stain beside a fireplace, or in the attic around the flue
- A black coating of roof cement smeared along the base of the chimney, laid on by a previous repair
- Rusted, lifted or wavy metal along the chimney base, or metal pulling away from the brick
- Mortar joints that are sandy, recessed or cracked where the metal meets the masonry
- Water stains or white powder on the brick or stone face, especially near the roof line
- Shingles that are dark, stained or lifting right beside the chimney
- A flat chimney back with no sloped cover, so snow and leaves pile up against it
- A leak that appears only in wind-driven rain, or only during a thaw
Our process
How our chimney flashing and repair visit works
Find where the water enters
The roofer looks at the stain, the attic side of the chimney and the roof around its base. The question is whether water enters at the flashing, through the masonry, at the crown on top, or from a nearby valley.
Examine flashing on all four sides
Each side is different: step flashing along the sides, base flashing at the downhill face, and a cricket or saddle behind the uphill face. The roofer checks metal condition, laps, fasteners and sealant on each.
Check the mortar joints that hold the metal
Counterflashing is tucked into a cut groove in the masonry or surface-mounted. If the joint is crumbling, a mason may need to repoint it before the metal can seat properly.
Remove the failed flashing
Shingles near the chimney are lifted and the old metal and cement are taken off. Doing this shows the deck beneath, which is worth a look because slow leaks soften plywood or boards.
Rebuild the weatherproofing in layers
New step and base flashing go in, woven with the shingles, with counterflashing over them set into the mortar joint or fastened to the masonry and sealed. A cricket is added behind wide chimneys so water splits around them.
Close up and review the masonry
Shingles are laid back over the metal and the work is cleaned up. The roofer notes any crown cracks, loose bricks or flue issues and tells you which trade should handle them.
Options
Types and options for chimney flashing and repair
Full flashing replacement
When metal is rusted, creased or was never lapped properly, the whole set is replaced. This is the common fix for a chimney that has leaked for several winters and been patched with cement.
Adding a cricket or saddle
A chimney wider than a couple of feet blocks the flow of water down the roof. A small peaked deflector behind it sends water around both sides. It is often added when the rest of the flashing is renewed.
Masonry repair beside the roof work
Crown repair, repointing and replacing spalled brick belong to a mason rather than a roofer. A roofer may coordinate the order of work so the new flashing is not set into a joint that will be disturbed later.
Cost
How much does chimney flashing and repair cost in Souderton?
This page carries no dollar figures, since a chimney job can be a resealed joint or a rebuilt set of flashing with a new saddle and masonry work alongside. The price is set by these things.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Reseal or minor re-pointing at the joint | Smallest scope of chimney work | Only suits sound metal |
| Replacing all four sides of flashing | Priced by chimney width and roof pitch | Includes lifting shingles around the base |
| Adding a cricket behind a wide chimney | Priced by chimney width | Done together with flashing |
| Mason work on crown, bricks or joints | Quoted by a mason | A separate trade from roofing |
| Interior repair after leaks | Quoted separately | Ceiling, wall and attic insulation |
Any amount is an estimate until the roofer has looked at the chimney, and the figure is confirmed with you before work starts.
Still stuck? We pick up 24/7.
If it's an emergency, call now. For non-urgent chimney flashing and repair, send the form and we'll call you back.
Montgomery County
Why chimney flashing and repair is different in Montgomery and Bucks counties
Older chimneys are common in this part of Montgomery and Bucks counties, and not only in the towns. Around Harleysville and Franconia, the farm-settled townships where the Pennsylvania Dutch built in the 18th century, older farmhouse roofs often carry several layers, valleys and chimneys, so flashing and decking checks matter whenever a roof is worked on (general pattern). Harleysville has more about that housing.
In Souderton Borough about three in ten homes were built before 1939, and another third or so in the 1940s to 1960s, by third-party data. On houses that old, any chimney has had its mortar and flashing tested by decades of winters.
Winter here swings across freezing, and the borough sees about 20 inches of snow and about 50 inches of precipitation a year in a third-party summary. Water that enters a mortar joint and freezes expands, and the next thaw leaves the joint a little wider. That is the cycle that opens chimney joints.
Related
Related services
Roof Flashing Repair
Valleys, sidewalls, vent boots and party walls: the metal and sealed joints where roof leaks tend to begin.
Roof Leak Repair
Finding and fixing roof leaks on Souderton-area homes, from flashing and pipe boots to worn shingles, through a local roofer.
Slate and Historic Roof Repair
Repair of slipped or broken slates, tile roofs and older multi-layer rooflines on historic borough buildings.
Roof Inspection
A roofer looks over the surface, flashing, gutters and attic, then tells you what they found, in plain language, with photos.
Where we work
Chimney Flashing and Repair across Montgomery County
- Chimney Flashing in Souderton
- Chimney Flashing in Franconia
- Chimney Flashing in Telford
- Chimney Flashing in Hatfield
- Chimney Flashing in Harleysville
- Chimney Flashing in Lansdale
- Chimney Flashing in Hilltown
- Chimney Flashing in Sellersville
- Chimney Flashing in Skippack
- Chimney Flashing in North Wales
- Chimney Flashing in Green Lane
- Chimney Flashing in Schwenksville
- Chimney Flashing in Perkasie
- Chimney Flashing in Montgomeryville
- Chimney Flashing in Collegeville
- Chimney Flashing in Norristown
- Chimney Flashing in Red Hill
- Chimney Flashing in Blue Bell
- Chimney Flashing in Ambler
- Chimney Flashing in Doylestown
- Chimney Flashing in Pennsburg
- Chimney Flashing in Quakertown
- Chimney Flashing in Royersford
- Chimney Flashing in East Greenville
- Chimney Flashing in King of Prussia
- Chimney Flashing in Bally
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
Roofing an Old Farmhouse or Rowhouse Near Souderton
Older farmhouses and attached rowhouses need more checking than a newer subdivision house.
FAQ
Chimney Flashing and Repair FAQs
How can I tell if my chimney leak is flashing or masonry?
A roofer separates them by testing. Stains near the roof line and at the metal point to flashing. Water stains on the brick face, white mineral deposits or crumbling brick point to masonry or the crown. Often both play a part, which is why a closer look is better than guessing.
Should the chimney be repointed before the flashing?
If the joint holding the metal is crumbling, yes. New counterflashing needs a solid joint to seat in. A roofer will tell you if mortar work should come first, and a mason can usually do it in the same visit window. Doing it in the wrong order means the new metal gets disturbed.
Does a stained attic around the chimney mean it needs rebuilding?
Not necessarily. Many chimney leaks are cured by new flashing and a cricket, not by rebuilding the masonry. Staining shows water has been entering. How much damage it has done to the wood and insulation is something the roofer can see from the attic side.
Is my chimney's age a concern?
Age by itself says little. A well-kept old chimney can outlast a neglected newer one. What matters is the mortar, the crown, the flashing and the flue. A roofer reports on the first three, and a sweep checks the flue. Ask both what they saw, in writing.
What if the chimney is on a shared wall in a row house?
Shared walls and chimneys in attached homes need coordination, because the flashing and the cap may straddle two properties. The roofer can say what is on your side. Related notes on flashing repair cover party walls in more detail.
Does a chimney leak mean the roof must be replaced?
No. Many chimney leaks are local and are repaired without touching the rest of the roof. If the roof is old and has been patched around the chimney more than once, a roofer may suggest roof leak repair now and a larger plan later.