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Chimney Flashing Leak Repair in Seattle
Stain on the ceiling next to the chimney? We find out whether the flashing is the leak before anyone sells you a fix. Free quote, same-day often available.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
Request a Free Chimney Flashing Leak Repair Quote
Tell us what's going on — we'll confirm a time by phone or text.
A chimney flashing leak shows up as a brown ring on the ceiling beside the chimney, a damp patch on the wall below the roofline, or a drip in the attic that only runs during a hard rain. Flashing is the most common place a chimney leaks, but it is not the only one, and the repairs for the others are different. A crown leak, a chase cover leak and a flashing leak can all stain the same spot on the ceiling. The first job is to prove which one you have.
That is how we approach every flashing leak call in Seattle, Tacoma and Everett. We go up, check the flashing, the crown or cover, the cap and the masonry, and tell you what is actually letting water in, with photos. If it is the flashing, we quote the reseal, re-bed or re-flash it needs. If it is not, you have not paid for a flashing repair you did not need. The diagnosis, the quote and the second opinion are all free.
Symptoms
Signs you need chimney flashing leak repair
- Ceiling stain or bubbled paint within a couple of feet of the chimney, on the side facing the slope
- Water marks that appear during wind-driven rain and dry out in between
- Damp drywall or peeling paper on the wall directly below where the chimney meets the roof
- Drips or dark streaks on the roof sheathing beside the chimney when you look in the attic
- A visible gap between the counter flashing and the brick from the ground
- Roofing tar around the chimney base that has cracked and curled
- A leak that started after a new roof or after a storm
Common causes
- Sealant at the top of the counter flashing dried out, split and let water behind the metal
- Mortar around the reglet washed out, so the counter flashing is loose in its joint
- Step flashing pieces slipped or were never lapped, so water runs behind instead of over
- Water ponding behind a wide chimney with no cricket found a seam
- A re-roof disturbed the flashing and left a corner open
How It Works
Our chimney flashing leak repair process
We start inside if we can, at the stain itself, because where the water shows up points to where it came from: a mark on the uphill side of the chimney suggests the back pan or a missing cricket, a mark on the side suggests step flashing, a wet spot centered on the chimney with rusty or dark water points to the crown or chase cover rather than the flashing at all. Then we go on the roof, check each piece of flashing by hand for split sealant, loose counter flashing and open corners, and run a hose over one section at a time while someone watches inside. That water test is what separates a flashing leak from a crown, cap or masonry leak.
Find the stain and read it
We look at where the water shows inside, which side of the chimney it favors and whether it is clear or rust-colored, to narrow the likely entry point.
Check every candidate on the roof
Flashing, crown or chase cover, cap, storm collar and masonry are each examined so the flashing is confirmed, not assumed.
Water-test the suspect section
We hose one area at a time while watching inside, so the fix targets the spot that actually leaks.
Make the repair
For a confirmed flashing leak we reseal the counter flashing, re-bed it in fresh mortar, reset slipped step pieces, or, if the metal is gone, schedule a full re-flash. Many resealing jobs are done the same visit.
Re-test and document
We run the water again over the repaired section, confirm it stays dry inside, and leave you photos of before and after.
Options
Repair and service options
Once the flashing is confirmed as the entry point, the repair matches the failure rather than the worst case.
- Reseal: when the metal is sound and only the top edge sealant has split. Old sealant is removed, the joint cleaned and a flexible, roof-grade sealant applied. The fastest and least expensive fix.
- Re-bed the counter flashing: when the mortar holding the metal in its reglet has washed out. The flashing is pulled, the joint cleaned, and the metal reset in fresh mortar.
- Reset step flashing: when pieces have slipped or a re-roof left them unlapped. Shingles are lifted, pieces repositioned and sealed.
- Add a cricket: when ponding behind the chimney is the real driver and no sealant will hold against standing water.
- Full re-flash: when the metal is rusted, corroded or lifted along a side. That is a different scope, described on our flashing replacement page.
If the water test shows the leak is the crown, cover or cap instead, we quote that repair and link you to the right page; see chimney leak repair for how those differ.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Whether the fix is a reseal, a re-bed, a step-flashing reset or a full re-flash
- How many sides and corners of the chimney are involved
- Condition of the mortar joint the counter flashing sits in
- Whether a cricket is needed to stop ponding
- Roof pitch, material and access
Every chimney is different, so you get a written quote after we look at the system. Ask about our price match and free second-opinion quote.
Safety & Seattle Conditions
Safety considerations
A leak you can see on the ceiling has usually been running inside the wall or attic for longer than it has been visible, and wet sheathing near a chimney can be soft. Do not go on the roof to look, and do not push on a sagging ceiling. Put a bucket under an active drip, take a photo of the stain for us, and call 206-453-2045. We are certified and insured and we handle the roof work. Same-day service is often available for an active leak.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Flashing leaks in the Puget Sound tend to announce themselves in the first big storms of fall. Sea-Tac's normal rainfall climbs from 0.60 inches in July to 3.91 in October and 6.31 in November, the wettest month, and November through January together carry about 44% of the year's 40.34 inches. A hairline gap in the flashing sealant that did nothing all summer starts dripping when the wet season arrives.
Winter adds the freeze-thaw pattern: Sea-Tac lows average around 37F in December and January, with about 60 days a year touching 32F but only about 4 that stay frozen all day. Water sitting in a flashing reglet or behind a split seal freezes, expands and opens the gap a little more each cycle, which is why a small flashing leak in November is often a bigger one by February.
Our Work
Chimney Flashing Leak Repair in action
Find the leak, then fix the leak
Free diagnosis and quote, same-day service often available. Call 206-453-2045 or text a photo of the stain. Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and the Puget Sound.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Flashing Leak Repair FAQ
How do I know the leak is the flashing and not something else?
You usually cannot be sure from inside. A stain on the side of the chimney facing the slope, especially after wind-driven rain, leans toward flashing. Rusty or dark water centered over the chimney leans toward a crown, chase cover or cap. We confirm it with a water test one section at a time so the repair targets the real entry point.
Can you fix a flashing leak the same day?
Often, yes. If the water test confirms the flashing and the metal is sound, resealing or re-bedding the counter flashing is usually done on the first visit. A full re-flash or a cricket is scheduled for the next dry window. Either way we can stop an active leak the same day with a temporary seal.
My roofer already caulked it and it still leaks. Now what?
Caulk on top of a flashing leak is a temporary patch, and if the leak is really behind the metal or in the reglet mortar, surface caulk does nothing. We pull the sealant back, find where water is getting behind the flashing, and fix that. Bring any quote you have been given; the second opinion is free and we price match plus 10-25%.
The leak started right after my new roof. Is that the flashing?
Very possibly. A re-roof lifts the step flashing and can leave pieces unlapped or a corner open, and some roofers do not touch the counter flashing at all. We check how the new shingles meet the old flashing and reset or reseal what was disturbed. If the old metal was already rusted, we will tell you honestly that it is a replacement, not a repair.
Is there damage I cannot see?
Possibly. Water that comes through flashing runs down the sheathing and framing before it reaches the ceiling, so a small visible stain can mean a larger wet area above it. We look in the attic when we can and tell you what we find. Drying or drywall repair is outside our trade, but we will tell you whether it looks needed.
How do I stop it from leaking again?
Fix the actual cause, not the symptom: re-bed loose counter flashing instead of caulking over it, add a cricket if water ponds behind the chimney, and replace rusted metal rather than sealing it. Then have the flashing looked at during your annual chimney inspection. Our repairs carry the guarantee: if you are not happy, we are not done.
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