Chimney flashing replaced and resealed in Rosemont

Sealing the joints and the hidden side of each bend

Metal flashing depends on laps, but the seams still need sealing. BIA Technical Note 19B advises that every joint in the base and counter flashing be thoroughly sealed, and that the unexposed side of any bends be sealed as well.

Nobody sees that hidden sealant once the job is closed up, which is exactly why it gets skipped. We seal joints as the pieces go in rather than smearing product over the surface afterward, and we choose a sealant suited to the metal and masonry involved. The product is named in your written scope.

Where sealant does belong in a flashing job

Sealant has a real role in chimney flashing. It closes the joint where counter flashing enters the masonry, seals seams between pieces and fills the hidden side of bends. What it should not do is stand in for missing metal or bridge an open gap by itself.

The product matters too. A roof sealant has to suit the metal, the masonry and the heat and sunlight it will face. We name the product in your written scope and apply it only where the flashing design calls for it, so a later roofer or chimney crew can see exactly what was used and where.

What a written flashing estimate should list

A useful flashing estimate names the faces being repaired, the metal and its thickness, how the counter flashing is anchored, how much roofing is lifted and restored, and what happens to the old material. Vague wording such as reseal chimney leaves you nothing to compare.

Ours spell out each of the items below, so two quotes can be read side by side. Book within 72 hours after the inspection and the estimate shows 10% off, printed on the page.

• Chimney faces included in the repair
• Flashing metal and thickness
• Counter flashing method for your chimney face
• Roofing lifted, reset or replaced
• Removal of old flashing and patch material
• Findings that need a separate decision

What finished flashing looks like from the ground

After a proper reflash, counter flashing runs in clean lines along the mortar joints or the chimney face, the apron sits flat across the front and the step pieces disappear beneath the roofing along the sides.

There should be no smeared tar, no exposed nail heads and no loose metal edges. If you look from the yard with binoculars after a repair, those are the details to check. Before we leave, we walk you through what was done so you know what good work looks like on your own roof.