What is Chimney Flashing & Why it’s Important

Flashing is the metal material that is placed at the base of the chimney structure near the roof line. The way the flashing is installed is designed to waterproof the joints where they meet at the roof line.

If improperly installed, it can cause severe water damage to the roof structure and eventually migrate into the interior walls of your home. This is also true of deteriorated, torn, or damaged flashing. Because the water runs along the rafter of your home, you might believe the roof is leaking when the water is actually coming from the area where the roof and chimney meet. A proper inspection will normally catch this fault early so you can either fix it right away or at least be aware that it could be a potential issue.

What if I don’t repair it?

If the water is not addressed and is allowed to pool and run, it can eventually lead to mold and other health-related issues within the walls of your home. This is why we encourage you to call us and let us do a thorough inspection of the appliance to make sure the water is not coming from the flashing around your chimney.

Unlike water that you have dripping in your chimney, which we know is coming from an issue within the chimney system, water that runs from the outside structure of the chimney is harder to track down. When you call a roofing company, you might be wasting money and time. If you notice the leak is coming from a low place in the home, look up and see if the chimney is hitting the roof line at a high point. This is one way to determine if the water could be running from a break in the flashing.

Chimney technician repairing chimney flashing on roof

Chimney Flashing