Fireplace roof flashing....

[8686]

My fireplace goes up the side of my house and extends maybe 3 feet or so above my roof. Typical, nothing fancy. Our chimney is leaking, we called the chimney guys and they said it could be caused by the flashing. He said it was adhered to the chimney but not to the roof. He said water could be going underneath the flashing and down the chimney sides.

We had our roof done a couple months ago. I called them since they did the flashing and they said the flashing should not be adhered to the roof. They are coming out to take a look at it.

Does that sound correct? I would think the flashing should be sealed all the way around as to prevent water from getting in behind/underneath......

 

[bholler]

what type of roof do you have?

 

[8686]

Gaf shingles? Sorry, not a roof guy. The house is a high ranch.

 

[BrotherBart]

If a shingle roof it shouldn't be adhered to it. But the step flashing should have a counter flashing over it cut into and sealed in the mortar joints. Had it done that way last summer when this joint was re-roofed.

 

[bholler]

Yeah what bart said. In general flashing should not be sealed anywhere except the top where it meets the chimney and if it is cut into the masonry like it should be it should only need a small bead. And by the way most roofers I come across either don't know or don't care to flash chimneys properly. There are only a few in our area that do it right

 

[8686]

The only problem is that on one side of the chimney the flashing goes "uphill", so water running down the roof could easily go right under the flashing.

 

[bholler]

what do you mean it goes up hill? If you are referring to the top side of the chimney where the roof comes down hill to meet the chimney it is basically still done the same way and with no sealant. One piece tucked under the last shingle and bent up onto the chimney and then counter flashing lapping over that if it is done that way it will be water tight.

 

[BrotherBart]

http://www.familyhandyman.com/roof/installing-chimney-flashing/step-by-step

 

[8686]

My house is a ranch so the roof is a basic upside-down "V". The chimney is closer to the front of the house, it's not directly in the middle. Let me upload a pic

 

[8686]

the red is the flashing. My Chimney is on the side of the house, in the pic you are looking at the side of the house. (FOR GOD SAKE why don't they allow uploading pics from the desktop!)

 

[bholler]

yes that is what I though that v on top if it was tucked under the shingles would be half of the flashing and there would be a second piece attached to the chimney by being tucked into a slot in the mortar that would lap down over that first one. As long as the first one goes far enough up the chimney it will not leak. The 2 pieces should not be sealed together.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah with the step flashing and the counter flashing under the shingles on the uphill side of the rake (the edge of the roof) it wouldn't leak.

 

[fire_man]

My chimney leaked for years until I finally figured out it was due to porous brick. I'm not saying that's your problem but just something to consider.
Every 6 years I have to wash and then reseal the brick with special stuff. My wife calls herself the "chimney widow" every six years.

Usually I thought they used a "cricket" when there was water sloping into the chimney like yours.That's what I have.

 

[Simonkenton]

fire man is right. Your chimney is not built properly because you do not have a cricket. However, it is easy to add a cricket.
Flashing is not supposed to be adhered to the shingles, but since you lack a cricket, you probably need to use tar or silicone to seal that flashing.

Was you roof ok 6 months ago, but began leaking after you got it re roofed?

 

[BrotherBart]

Chimney on the side of the house don't need no cricket. Just a proper flashing job. Crickets are for interior chimneys or when they are on the eve, not the rake.

 

[Simonkenton]

Is there a roof overhang? If the chimney is entirely outside of the house, and the roof, you do not need a cricket, as bart says.
If the chimney is right next to the house, and if you have, say, a 12 inch roof overhang, so that rainwater runs down the roof and flows right to the chimney, then you do need a cricket.

I have seen many houses that had roof uphill from the chimney but had no cricket, my fiancee owns one, and I had to retrofit a cricket.

Here is another pic of a cricket:





This is a nice looking cricket and probably works well, but it is not done properly. As the guys above have stated, flashing needs to be built into the mortar joints. On a retrofit, you can get a masonry saw, and cut a one inch cut into the mortar joints, and fit the step flashing in there.
On the install in this pic they didn't do that, but, if you put enough silicone on the joint where the flashing/cricket meets the fireplace, it will be ok.

 

[8686]

Thanks guys. The roofing guys went up there this morning. He said there were some areas that could use a little sealant.

The chimney is next to the house but it does go "into" the house a couple inches. The roofers put a cricket on the furnace chimney made out of the roof when they did the roof, but that chimney is flush with the house. Meaning the house was sort of built around the chimney.

1. We moved into the house last august and had the roof done a month after that.
2. It leaked a couple months ago (after the roof was done) but who know if it had been leaking prior with the other homeowners. This leak was a small 5" circle in the carpet in front of the fireplace. I have a granite slab with brick underneath and the carpet goes right up to that. We noticed spaces in the mortar between the brick that water could be coming through. I lifted the carpet and the wood tacks were black with mold.
3. Last weekend it poured (here on Long Island), and had a leak about 5 feet of the rug, soaked.
4. I thought sealing the chimney prevented moisture from getting inside no? Not sure if an un-sealed chimney would allow that much water through.
5. I just don't know how the water is getting in and the route it is taking to get to the fireplace downstairs.
6. When it was raining last weekend I looked up the chimney and saw drops coming from the shoulder. BTW, the inside of the chimney floor was soaked on one side. Outside, I could easily remove bricks from the shoulder, so water is getting in through cracked morter joints.
7. Also, We have vinyl siding that contours the edge of the chimney. Pushing back the vinyl siding I could see how the chimney meets the foundation of the house and there is a space, maybe 1/4 inch. It looks to be that the chimney is starting to detach from the house. I bought some silicone to seal along the edge where the siding meets the chimney.

We have a high-ranch, so the fireplace is underground in our basement.

I'm going to take a video of all and post back.

 

[Highbeam]

Knock it down and replace with a proper pipe....


Sorry, had to say it. Totally assinine comment.