Counterflashing and mortar repair
The most common chimney leak. The counterflashing has to sit in a mortar joint, and when that joint has failed the metal cannot hold. The repair reopens the joint, sets the metal and repoints the mortar.
Serving Kenosha County
Chimney Flashing Repair in Kenosha, WI
Repairing the flashing, counterflashing and mortar joints where older masonry chimneys meet the roof on Kenosha houses.
- Repairs, leaks and full tear-offs
- Ice dams, lake-effect snow and wind damage
- Kenosha, Racine and northern Lake County, IL
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Chimney Flashing
Chimney Flashing Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Chimney flashing repair reseals the joint where a masonry chimney meets the roof, usually with step flashing, a base flashing and counterflashing set into the mortar. Older masonry chimneys on lakeshore houses in Kenosha are a frequent source of leaks at that joint. Kenosha Roofing connects homeowners with a local technician who checks the brick, the mortar and the metal together.
A chimney is a joint that never stops moving. Brick and mortar expand and contract with the heat of the flue and the cold of the weather, and the roof around it moves in its own way. The flashing has to follow both, and when it does not, the joint leaks.
Older masonry chimneys are common on lakeshore houses in Kenosha, and many were built before the metal details we now expect. A chimney flashing that was added later, or set with a shallow counterflashing, often leaks at the brick face rather than on the roof.
The repair checks the flashing, the counterflashing in the mortar and the chimney cap together, because a leak at the chimney is usually a problem in more than one part. Calls to Kenosha Roofing are answered around the clock, and a local technician confirms the scope on site.
- Service area
- Kenosha & Kenosha County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7, storm nights included
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
Why do older chimneys leak at the flashing?
Older chimneys were often flashed with shallow counterflashing or with metal added later, and the brick and mortar move with the seasons. Once the mortar joint opens, water runs behind the metal and into the wall, and the leak can be hard to see from the roof.
A chimney is a tall masonry structure with a flue that carries heat and gases. The brick heats and cools, and the mortar joints open and close with it.
A counterflashing set too shallowly into the mortar is a common cause. Water runs behind the metal and into the joint, where it is held against the brick and the framing.
Freeze-thaw cycles then widen the crack each winter, so a small gap becomes a larger one over several seasons.
Is a chimney leak always a flashing problem?
Not always. Water can come through the chimney cap, cracked brick or a failed crown, and the flashing may be sound while the leak comes from above it. A technician checks the whole chimney before deciding the repair.
A cracked cap lets rain run down the brick and into the flue and the wall. The flashing can look perfect while the water is coming from the cap.
Brick that has spalled or cracked may need a separate repair, and the technician notes it so the owner can decide the order.
What should I do before a chimney repair starts?
Keep the fireplace and the flue out of use until the chimney has been checked, and photograph any staining in the attic or the room below. Those steps protect the house while the repair is scoped, and the technician confirms the flue condition on the visit.
A chimney that has been damaged by water can release soot or debris into the flue, so the fireplace should not be used until the chimney has been looked at.
Photographs of the stain and the damaged mortar are useful for the record and for any claim, and they help the technician plan the work.
Warning signs
Signs you need chimney flashing repair
Do not climb onto a roof to work on a chimney in wind or ice, and do not lean a ladder against the brick above the gutter line. Keep away from loose brick and mortar, which can fall. Do not use a fireplace with water in the flue or a cracked liner. If smoke or a smell of gas comes from the chimney, leave the house and call (833) 751-2102 from outside.
- Water stains on the wall or ceiling beside the chimney after a storm
- Mortar that has cracked, crumbled or washed out at the roofline
- Metal flashing that has pulled away from the brick, leaving a visible gap
- A chimney cap that is cracked, missing or sitting at an angle
- Rust or staining on the brick below the flashing, showing where water runs
- Dampness in the chimney chase or an attic wall next to the chimney
Our process
How our chimney flashing repair visit works
Check the chimney from the roof and the attic
The brick, the mortar joint and the flashing are checked from both sides. The attic wall beside the chimney shows the stain line, and the roof shows where the joint has opened.
Assess the mortar and the brick
Mortar that has washed out or cracked is repaired before the metal is set, because counterflashing needs a sound joint to lock into. Brick that has spalled or cracked is noted for a separate repair.
Set the counterflashing and step flashing
Step flashing is woven between the shingles along each side, and the counterflashing is set into the mortar joint above it. The metal is lapped so water runs over the lower pieces, not behind them.
Check the cap and the chase
The chimney cap is checked for cracks and a proper overhang, because a cap that lets water run down the brick undoes the flashing. The chase is checked for dampness after the repair.
Options
Types and options for chimney flashing repair
Step flashing along the roof
The metal pieces woven along the sides of the chimney carry water off the slope. They are replaced when they are bent or rusted, and each one is lapped over the course below.
Chimney cap and crown
The cap keeps water off the top of the brick and out of the flue. A cracked or sagging cap is replaced, and the crown is checked for cracks that let water in.
Need chimney flashing repair today?
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
Kenosha County
Why chimney flashing repair is different in Southeastern Wisconsin and northern Lake County, IL
Chimneys on the older lakeshore houses in Kenosha are often masonry, sometimes with a flue that was rebuilt over the decades. Each one has its own pattern of mortar and flashing, and the repair starts from what is actually there.
The wind off the lake pushes rain against the windward side of the chimney, so the leaks often show on the lake-facing wall and in the attic on that side of the house.
Related
Related services
Flashing Repair
Reseating and replacing the metal flashing at walls, valleys and vents on Kenosha roofs that freeze-thaw and wind have worked loose.
Roof Leak Repair
Finding and fixing the entry point of a roof leak on Kenosha houses, including the eaves, valleys, chimneys and wall joints where Lake Michigan weather gets in.
Historic District Roofing
Roof repairs and replacements on Kenosha's Civic Center, Library Park and Third Avenue historic districts, with the review step checked first.
Roof Inspection
A written roof inspection for Kenosha homes after wind, hail or heavy snow, and before an insurance claim is filed.
Where we work
Chimney Flashing Repair across Kenosha County
- Chimney Flashing in Kenosha
- Chimney Flashing in Pleasant Prairie
- Chimney Flashing in Carol Beach
- Chimney Flashing in Somers
- Chimney Flashing in Winthrop Harbor
- Chimney Flashing in Sturtevant
- Chimney Flashing in Mount Pleasant
- Chimney Flashing in Zion
- Chimney Flashing in Racine
- Chimney Flashing in Bristol
- Chimney Flashing in Union Grove
- Chimney Flashing in Paddock Lake
- Chimney Flashing in Waukegan
- Chimney Flashing in Salem Lakes
- Chimney Flashing in Gurnee
- Chimney Flashing in Lake Villa
- Chimney Flashing in Camp Lake
- Chimney Flashing in Trevor
- Chimney Flashing in Caledonia
- Chimney Flashing in Antioch
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
FAQ
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQs
Why does my chimney leak only in wind-driven rain?
Wind drives water under the counterflashing or into an open mortar joint on the windward side. The leak shows when the storm comes from that direction and stops when it turns.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without rebuilding the chimney?
Usually yes. The flashing, the counterflashing and the mortar joint can be repaired while the chimney stands, and the brick is repaired only where it has failed.
Should a chimney cap be replaced?
If it is cracked, missing or sitting at an angle, replacing it is the usual repair. A cap that is sound and properly set can stay in place.
Is a chimney flashing leak covered by insurance?
That depends on the policy and the cause, and this page cannot say what a policy covers. Photographs and a written report from the technician help any claim.