Chimney flashing reset
Counter flashing and step flashing at the chimney are reset or replaced, and the mortar joint is checked for cracks that let water in. This is the most common chimney repair after a winter.
Serving Marion County
Chimney and Flashing Repair in Indianapolis, IN
Resetting or replacing flashing at chimneys, walls and valleys, with the mortar joints, the cap and the crown checked where the leak begins.
- Ice dams and freeze-thaw
- Marion County and suburbs
- Roof repair and replacement
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Chimney Flashing
Chimney and Flashing Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Chimney and flashing repair resets or replaces the metal and sealed strips that join the roof to a chimney, a wall or a valley. Freeze-thaw cycles open those joints in winter, and wind can lift the flashing in spring, so the leak often shows at the first thaw. In Indianapolis the repair finds the entry at the joint and corrects the flashing and, where needed, the mortar and the cap.
The flashing at a chimney, a wall or a valley is where a roof is most likely to leak after a winter. Water that freezes in a joint splits the seal, and the thaw carries the water into the wall or the decking below. The stain that shows in the room is often some distance from the joint that let the water in.
Indianapolis Roofing connects Indianapolis callers with a local technician who checks the flashing at each joint and the mortar and cap of any chimney. The technician shows the homeowner what has failed and explains the repair. The work is done by an independent local company that holds its own insurance.
The sections below cover how freeze-thaw and wind open flashing joints, what a sound repair involves and what to check on a chimney after a hard winter.
- Service area
- Indianapolis & Marion County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
Why do freeze-thaw cycles open flashing joints?
Water that gets into a flashing joint freezes and expands, and the seal splits. The thaw then releases the water into the wall or the decking, and the next freeze widens the gap.
The joint between the flashing and the masonry is the place where water collects in winter. Snow and ice pile against the chimney and the wall on the windward side, and the melt runs into the joint and stays there while it is cold.
The damage builds over the winter. A small gap in November can be an open joint by March, and the water that enters it runs along the decking before it reaches a room. The attic check finds that path.
How does wind lift flashing?
Wind gets under the edge of the flashing at a chimney or a wall, and the edge lifts. A flashing that was fixed with a few nails and a sealant strip can bend and not return to its position.
The corners of a chimney catch the wind and funnel it under the flashing. Once it has lifted, rain runs under it instead of over it, and the water reaches the wall and the decking behind it.
A lifted flashing after a storm should be re-set rather than sealed over. Sealant on a lifted edge hides the damage for a while, and the joint then leaks again.
What does a chimney repair include besides the flashing?
A chimney repair should include the flashing, the mortar, the cap and the crown, since each can let water into the stack. The chimney is checked from the roof and from the attic where it passes through the roof.
Mortar joints in brick and stone chimneys crack in the freeze-thaw cycle, and water gets into the stack through the cracks. The technician checks the joints and notes any that need repointing or sealing. A missing cap lets rain and snow into the flue.
The crown, the concrete top of the chimney, can crack and let water run down the inside of the stack. Crown cracks are recorded and the homeowner is told which repairs are urgent and which can wait.
What should be checked after a hard winter?
After a hard winter the flashing at every chimney, wall and valley should be checked, along with the mortar and the cap. The check finds the joints that the cold has opened before the next storm season.
A check after winter looks for lifted metal, cracked sealant and gaps between the flashing and the masonry. The findings are photographed and recorded, with the date, so the next check can see what has changed.
The attic is checked too, for water marks near the chimney and the walls. A stain in the attic that is fresh after a thaw is a sign that the joint needs work soon.
Can flashing be repaired from the ground?
Some signs can be seen from the ground, such as a bent edge or a gap at the base of a chimney. Most of the joint, however, is hidden under the shingles and needs a check from the roof or the attic.
A visible gap or a bent edge is a clear reason to call. The homeowner can photograph it from a safe distance and keep the photograph with the house file.
A ground check does not replace the roof check. The underlayment and the nails at the joint can only be seen when the shingles are lifted, and that is done by a technician on the roof.
Warning signs
Signs you need chimney and flashing repair
Flashing and chimney work is done at roof height, often on masonry that can be loose or crumbling. Do not lift shingles or climb a chimney yourself, and do not stand on a chimney or a roof edge. If a chimney is leaning, cracked or has loose bricks, keep people away and call a technician before any work. Keep children and pets clear of the area below the roof.
- A brown stain on a ceiling near a chimney breast after a thaw
- Flashing that has lifted or bent at the base of a chimney
- Cracked or missing sealant around a vent pipe or a boot
- A gap between the flashing and the brick, stone or siding
- Mortar that has cracked or crumbled at the top of the chimney
- Water running down the outside of the stack after rain
- Shingles lifted or cracked where they meet the flashing
Our process
How our chimney and flashing repair visit works
Find the joint that leaks
The attic is checked first for water marks near the chimney or the wall. The roof is then checked at the matching joint, since the entry is often some distance from the stain.
Lift and check the shingles at the joint
The shingles around the flashing are lifted carefully so the flashing and the underlayment can be seen. The nails and the condition of the underlayment are recorded.
Reset or replace the metal
Failing flashing is replaced with new metal of the correct profile, or reset so the overlap with the shingles is right. Step flashing is woven with each course of shingle, so water runs down the roof and not into the joint.
Repair the mortar, the cap and the crown
Cracked mortar joints are repointed, a missing or damaged chimney cap is replaced, and cracks in the crown are sealed. Each is recorded, and the homeowner is told which are urgent.
Test the joint and record the repair
The repair is checked for water flow, and the joint is photographed and noted in the record. The report says what was replaced and what remains in good condition.
Options
Types and options for chimney and flashing repair
Valley and wall flashing repair
Flashing where the roof meets a wall or along a valley is reset so water flows down the roof. Valleys collect ice and are checked for lifting and corrosion.
Chimney cap and crown repair
A missing cap or a cracked crown lets water into the flue and the stack. The cap is replaced and the crown is sealed, so the stack sheds water as it should.
One call and it gets handled.
Tell us when you need someone and we book the earliest visit a chimney and flashing repair technician has, and you approve the price before any work starts.
Marion County
Why chimney and flashing repair is different in Central Indiana
Freeze-thaw cycles are a regular winter problem in Indianapolis, and the NWS Indianapolis office's record of the 2005 ice storm shows how much ice can load a structure across the state. A chimney that has been through several winters is worth checking for mortar and flashing at the same visit.
Chimneys on older houses in Broad Ripple and Irvington are part of the character of those neighborhoods. The repair keeps the chimney's look where it can, and it resets the flashing to the masonry so the joint sheds water.
Houses with wall intersections and valleys, such as those in the suburbs of Carmel, Fishers and Greenwood, have joints that are checked for lifting and sealant after each winter, since a thaw is likely to find them first.
Related
Related services
Freeze-Thaw Leak Repair
Tracing winter leaks that appear at the first thaw, and repairing the joints and shingles that freezing water opened.
Ice Dam Roof Repair
Clearing the eaves, finding where ice-dam water got in, and repairing the roof and attic so the next thaw does not repeat it.
Wind Damage Roof Repair
Re-sealing lifted shingles, replacing missing ridge caps and securing the flashing that straight-line gusts pull loose.
Older Roof Repair in Broad Ripple and Irvington
Repairs for older roofs on the north and east sides of Indianapolis, with the framing, the decking and the outline of the house kept in view.
Where we work
Chimney and Flashing Repair across Marion County
- Chimney Flashing in Indianapolis
- Chimney Flashing in Haughville
- Chimney Flashing in Fountain Square
- Chimney Flashing in Meridian-Kessler
- Chimney Flashing in Beech Grove
- Chimney Flashing in Irvington
- Chimney Flashing in Lawrence
- Chimney Flashing in Speedway
- Chimney Flashing in Southport
- Chimney Flashing in Decatur Township
- Chimney Flashing in Broad Ripple
- Chimney Flashing in Clermont
- Chimney Flashing in Cumberland
- Chimney Flashing in Castleton
- Chimney Flashing in Greenwood
- Chimney Flashing in Camby
- Chimney Flashing in Avon
- Chimney Flashing in Brownsburg
- Chimney Flashing in Plainfield
- Chimney Flashing in New Palestine
- Chimney Flashing in Carmel
- Chimney Flashing in Zionsville
- Chimney Flashing in Fishers
- Chimney Flashing in Whiteland
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
What should an Indianapolis roof inspection check?
A thorough Indianapolis roof inspection checks the attic, the decking, the eave and ice-dam line, the shingles or covering, the flashing and the gutters, and it records the storm and ice record for the address.
How do you care for an older roof in Broad Ripple or Irvington?
Caring for an older roof in Broad Ripple or Irvington starts with the attic: its framing, its ventilation and the warm air that feeds the ice dams at the eave.
FAQ
Chimney and Flashing Repair FAQs
Why does the leak show in a room far from the chimney?
Water runs along the decking and down the rafters before it drips, so the stain can be some distance from the joint. The attic check follows the path the water took.
Can flashing be fixed with sealant?
Only for small, temporary gaps. Lifted or corroded flashing should be reset or replaced, because sealant on its own usually fails again after the next freeze.
Does the chimney need work as well as the flashing?
Sometimes. The mortar, the cap and the crown can each let water in. The technician checks them and recommends what is needed.
How soon should flashing be repaired?
As soon as it is found, because water at a joint can run into the wall for some time before it shows. A thaw is the usual time it appears.
Does flashing damage count toward a claim?
It can, if it came from the same storm. The insurer decides what the policy covers. The record notes the flashing damage with the roof photographs.
Is flashing repair the same as a roof replacement?
No. Flashing repair is a targeted repair at the joints. A replacement covers the whole roof. The technician explains which applies, based on the findings.