When many homeowners think of their roof, they immediately think of the shingles. While shingles are obviously a huge part of the roof, there are many other materials that keep a roof in good shape. One of those areas is the flashing around your chimney! We know not every home has one, but many have at least a small chimney or even just a vent on the roof that also has flashing around it. Flashing is a system of sheet metal that surrounds the base of the chimney where it meets the roof to keep water from entering that seam. Our roofing repair technicians want to make sure homeowners are keeping an eye on that flashing – here’s why:
1. Vulnerability.
Anywhere there is a seam where two materials meet, it’s automatically a vulnerable point in the roof. If the flashing was installed incorrectly or the materials are not high quality, the risk will be higher. At Boak & Sons, our roofing repair technicians constantly see weak flashing during a roof inspection. Many times, this flashing is around the chimney and homeowners will see leaks in or around their fireplace!
2. Expensive Repairs.
If damaged or improperly installed flashing causes leaks around your chimney, the repair work might be extensive. Repairing a chimney is not as easy as repairing damaged roofing materials. In fact, masonry repair is not a service we are able to offer homeowners. But don’t worry, we have some great companies that we can recommend if you have this issue! To be safe, have your flashing looked at by one of our roofing repair technicians to make sure your chimney flashing is solid.
3. Chimney leaks can be harder to diagnose.
We get a lot of calls about people seeing water coming in through their chimney. While it’s definitely possible to have a roof leak that causes this, it is also possible that your roof is completely healthy but your chimney might be failing. It can be difficult to diagnose whether this damage is being caused by a leak in the roof or in the brick and mortar of the chimney. We’re happy to provide a free estimate if you are experiencing leaks around your chimney, but we always ask our customers to be open-minded and realize that it might not be the roof at all!
Your fireplace can be what makes your home cozy and inviting, but chimneys need maintenance just as much as your roof does. Keep these tips in mind when you’re looking at your roof or thinking of having any repair work done! If you have questions about any of these or want to schedule a free estimate with our roofing repair technicians, call us at 330-793-5646 or fill out a contact form on our website!
