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Chimney Flashing Repair in Seattle
Water stain on the ceiling next to the chimney? If the metal is sound, we reseal and re-bed it instead of tearing it out. Free quote and free second opinion.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
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Flashing is the layered metal where the chimney meets the roof. Step flashing tucks under each shingle course, counter flashing is let into the mortar joints above it, and the two overlap so water running down the brick is carried out onto the roof. Flashing repair is what we do when that metal is still sound but the seal has failed: the mortar holding the counter flashing has crumbled, the caulk has split, a corner has lifted, or the bead along the top edge has pulled away from the brick.
This is the right page if your leak is at the roofline and the flashing is intact. If the metal is rusted, torn, the wrong kind, or smeared with roofing tar to keep it alive, the honest fix is a full re-flash, covered on our chimney flashing replacement page. We quote both when both are possible.
Flashing sits in the overlap between roofing and chimney work. We do the chimney side properly and say plainly when a roofer should be involved too.
Symptoms
Signs you need chimney flashing repair
- Ceiling or wall stain beside the chimney that appears after a long rain, not a short one
- Water tracking down the outside of the chimney inside the attic
- Cracked, shrunken or peeling caulk along the top of the counter flashing
- Mortar missing from the joint where the counter flashing tucks into the brick
- A corner of the flashing lifted so you can see daylight behind it
- Roofing tar or mastic smeared over the flashing by a previous quick fix
Common causes
- Sealant along the counter flashing dries, shrinks and splits after years of wet and sun
- Mortar in the reglet joint erodes and the counter flashing pulls away from the brick
- Chimney and roof move at different rates and loosen the overlap
- Moss and debris pile up behind the chimney and hold water against the flashing
- Shingles were replaced around the chimney but the counter flashing was reused without resealing
How It Works
Our chimney flashing repair process
We start inside, not on the roof. We look at where the stain is, whether it tracks to the roofline or to the top of the chimney, and whether it shows up only after sustained rain. Then we check the flashing itself: the metal, the mortar joint holding the counter flashing, the sealant, the overlap with the shingles, and anything buried under old tar. We also rule out the crown and cap, because a crown leak often lands in the same spot. Sound metal gets a repair quote; anything else gets an honest replacement quote.
Confirm the leak is the flashing
We trace the stain, check the attic when there is access, and look at the crown, cap and brick so we are fixing the real entry point.
Strip the failed seal
Old caulk, tar and crumbling mortar come out of the reglet joint and off the metal so the new seal bonds to clean surfaces.
Re-bed and re-secure
We re-seat the counter flashing into the mortar joint and repoint it, reform and fasten any lifted corners, and lap everything so water runs out onto the roof.
Seal and water-test
A flexible, UV-stable sealant goes along the top edge and corners, then we run water on the repair to confirm it is dry before we leave.
Options
Repair and service options
Flashing repair is a set of smaller fixes matched to what actually failed, done alone or together.
- Reseal only: scrape out failed caulk and re-seal the top edge and corners with a flexible polyurethane or silicone sealant. Right when metal and mortar are sound.
- Repoint the reglet: grind out the washed-out joint and repack it around the counter flashing so the metal is held by mortar, not just caulk.
- Re-bed and re-secure: pull lifted counter flashing, clean it, and set it back into the joint with new fasteners and sealant.
- Cricket check: a wide chimney on the downhill side of a roof collects water behind it. If there is no cricket diverting that water, we tell you, because sealant does not fix a pond.
- Partial replacement: one rusted side can sometimes be replaced while the rest is repaired.
We do not smear tar over flashing. It hides the problem for a season and makes the eventual repair messier.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Number of sides that need resealing or re-bedding (one corner vs all four sides)
- Whether the mortar joint has to be ground out and repointed or just resealed
- Condition of the brick behind the flashing; soft or spalled brick takes more prep
- Roof pitch, chimney height and how safely the area can be reached
- Moss, debris, old tar or mastic that has to be removed first
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
Do not go on the roof to caulk your own flashing. Seattle roofs stay wet and mossy most of the year, and the spot beside the chimney is often the slickest part. Call us; if the leak is active we can often come the same day to make a temporary seal. If a ceiling is sagging or dripping, put a bucket under it and tell us when you call so we prioritize the visit.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Flashing seals fail slowly, and Puget Sound rain finds them. Sea-Tac's normal is 40.34 inches a year over roughly 150-156 days of measurable precipitation, so a hairline gap at the counter flashing sees water most days from October through March. Those six months carry about 73% of the year's rain, which is why flashing leaks show up as fall stains and vanish in July, when the normal is 0.60 inches.
Moss in Western Washington spreads fastest from October to April on shaded, north-facing surfaces, and it grows right where the flashing meets the shingles, holding water against the metal and the mortar joint. Clearing it is part of the repair.
Our Work
Chimney Flashing Repair in action
Stop the roofline leak
Free quote, free second opinion, price match plus 10-25% off. Call 206-453-2045 and tell us where the stain is.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
How do I know if my chimney leak is the flashing?
A flashing leak usually shows as a stain on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney after a day or more of steady rain rather than a short shower. In the attic you may see water running down the outside of the chimney from the roofline. Crown and cap leaks tend to land in the firebox instead. We confirm which it is before we quote.
Can chimney flashing be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
If the metal is intact and only the seal or mortar joint has failed, repair is the right call and costs less. If the flashing is rusted through, torn, buried in tar, or was installed as a single surface-mounted sheet, replacement is the honest answer. See our flashing replacement page for that case.
Should I call a roofer or a chimney company for flashing?
Either can, and the answer depends on what failed. Counter flashing set into mortar joints is chimney and masonry work; step flashing woven into shingles is roofing work. We handle the chimney side and the reseal, and tell you plainly if the shingle side needs a roofer, for example when the roof itself is at the end of its life.
My roofer just re-roofed and the chimney still leaks. Why?
Re-roofs often replace the step flashing but reuse the old counter flashing without resealing it, or skip the chimney entirely. If the reglet joint is washed out or the counter flashing was bent during the job, water gets behind it. We reseal and re-bed the counter flashing so it works with the new roof.
Will you just caulk it?
Only if caulk is the real fix. Caulk over a washed-out mortar joint or lifted metal fails the next wet season. Where mortar is gone, we repoint. Where metal is lifted, we re-secure it. Then we seal. We also do not use roofing tar, which traps water and hides the problem.
Do you guarantee the repair?
Yes. If you're not happy, we're not done, and we come back and make it right at no charge. We water-test the repair before we leave rather than waiting for the next storm. Call 206-453-2045 for a free quote or a free second opinion on a quote you already have.
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