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Repeat leak at a chimney, wall, skylight or vent.

A trained roofing crew should do the flashing work, and a licensed mason should do masonry repair.

Customers put it like this

  • it still leaks around the chimney
  • the skylight leaks every time
  • water runs down the wall by the roof
  • they caulked it and it came back
Prepare this job in ForeBotFind another guide

Stop first if

  • There is ice, a wet surface, frost, high wind or lightning.Stay off the roof. Log the conditions and that nobody went up.
  • A skylight is in the work area.Treat it as a fall-through hazard and keep the crew clear unless protected.
  • The roof carries a maker's warranty.Read the maker's rules before cutting anything.
01

Ask on the call

5

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Where does water show up, and how many repairs have been tried?
  2. Does it leak in every rain, or only with wind?
  3. What was used on the last repair?
  4. Was the old flashing reused when the roof was replaced?
  5. Is the roof still under a maker's warranty?
02

Bring

6
  • Binoculars
  • Flashlight
  • Moisture meter
  • Awl or probe
  • Phone for photos
  • Extension ladder and fall protection
03

Check on site

6
  1. Think through gravity, surface tension and wind pressure at the joint before hunting for a sealant gap.
  2. Check lap order and lap length at each piece.
  3. At walls, note step flashing nailed to the wall. Note counterflashing let into mortar or only face sealed.
  4. At a wide chimney, look for a cricket and a back pan. Look for a kick-out at the low end of a roof-wall joint.
  5. Check that the wall barrier laps over the roof flashing.
  6. At vents, check that the upper flange sits under the course above and the bottom stays free.
04

Keep on the record

4
  • Photos of lap order at the joint
  • Earlier sealant or repairs, recorded as temporary
  • Chimney crown and brick condition
  • Warranty record, before any cutting

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.