Central Texas Roofing Expert
If you have a leak showing up near your chimney, the flashing is the most likely cause. Not the shingles, not the chimney masonry – the metal seal where the two meet. Chimney flashing takes more stress than almost any other part of your roof. It expands and contracts with Texas heat cycles, sits in the path of any debris coming off the chimney, and is often the most neglected item during routine roof maintenance.
We handle chimney and flashing repair as a dedicated service. Not as a line item on a general repair invoice, but as its own diagnostic and repair process. When we come out, we are specifically looking at the flashing system – base flashing, step flashing, counter flashing, and cricket if one is present. We tell you exactly what failed and why, and we fix it properly so it does not fail again in the same place.
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Austin’s temperature swings are harder on flashing than most homeowners realize. A summer afternoon in the 100s followed by a cold front dropping temps 40 degrees in a few hours – that thermal cycling happens dozens of times a year. Flashing metal expands and contracts with each cycle. Over time, the sealants around it crack, fasteners work loose, and the seal between the chimney and roof starts to open up. There are four specific failure patterns we see repeatedly on Central Texas homes:
Galvanized steel flashing installed on older homes corrodes over time, particularly on the south-facing roof planes that take the most sun exposure in Central Texas. Once rust starts, the metal thins and water finds its way through. The 3511 Eldorado Trail job in south Austin is a clear example - rusted flashing that had been leaking long enough to drive multiple layers of previous patch attempts on top of it.
On chimneys wider than 30 inches, a cricket - the small peaked structure behind the chimney - is required to divert water around it. Older homes built before this became standard practice, or homes where the chimney was added later, sometimes lack a cricket entirely. Water pools behind the chimney and pushes under the flashing with every rain event. Building a proper cricket is a permanent fix; repeated sealant applications are not.
Caulk and roofing sealant around counter flashing and base flashing has a service life. Austin UV degrades exposed sealants faster than in cooler climates. A chimney that was properly sealed 10 years ago may have open gaps today that show no visible damage from the ground.
One of the most common things we find on older Austin homes is multiple layers of flashing - someone tried to fix the leak by putting new material over old material instead of tearing it out. Each layer adds weight and complexity, and the underlying failure is still there. The right fix is a full tear off back to the deck and a clean reinstall.
The best way to understand what proper chimney flashing repair involves is to look at an actual job.
At a home on Eldorado Trail in south Austin (78739), our crew arrived to find a chimney that had been leaking for years. The original galvanized steel flashing had rusted through in multiple spots. Previous repair attempts had layered new material over the old rather than addressing the underlying problem. By the time we got there, we were dealing with multiple layers of flashing material, all of it compromised, on top of a chimney that had been taking water for long enough to warrant a full tearoff.
The repair process:
Every layer of existing flashing was removed back to the roof deck and chimney base. No patching over prior work.
Fresh galvanized or aluminum flashing, properly integrated with the shingle courses - not surface-applied on top of them.
Counter flashing embedded into the chimney mortar joint, sealed to prevent water entry at the chimney-to-flashing interface.
With the flashing removed, we inspect the decking and chimney masonry for water damage. Anything compromised gets addressed before new flashing goes in.
This chimney required a cricket - the peaked diverter structure installed behind the chimney to redirect water flow. Built to code with proper framing and covered with new flashing.
We check water flow paths, confirm no exposed gaps, and document the completed work.
The individual metal pieces that run up the sides of the chimney, integrated with each shingle course. Step flashing failure is the most common source of active chimney leaks and is almost always repairable without touching the chimney masonry.
The upper layer of flashing embedded into the chimney mortar joint. When mortar deteriorates or counter flashing pulls away from the joint, water enters regardless of how well the step flashing below it is installed.
The cap and crown seal the top of the chimney. A cracked or missing crown lets water in from above, which shows up as interior leaking that looks like a roof problem. We assess and repair both.
When prior repair layers have compounded the problem, we tear everything back to the deck and start clean. This is the only correct answer when layering has created a structural mess.
Where the chimney meets vertical siding, the transition requires proper flashing and sealing. We address failed siding-to-chimney connections as part of the repair when they are contributing to water entry.
Design and installation of a chimney cricket on chimneys wider than 30 inches where one is missing or undersized. A properly built cricket eliminates the pooling problem behind wide chimneys permanently.
Most chimney flashing issues are repairable without a full roof replacement. If the shingles around the chimney are in good shape and the decking under the flashing has not been damaged by long-term water intrusion, a focused flashing repair gets the job done.
If galvanized flashing has been failing long enough that rust staining has worked its way under surrounding shingles, those shingles need to come up as part of the repair. At that point the scope is closer to a partial replacement of the affected roof section.
Water that has been infiltrating through failed flashing for years can rot the decking underneath. We assess the deck during every flashing job - if the wood has been compromised, it needs to be replaced before new flashing goes in.
If the rest of the roof is 18 to 22 years old and showing wear across multiple areas, the better financial decision may be a full replacement that includes new flashing as part of the job. We tell homeowners this honestly rather than doing a flashing repair that buys two years on a roof that needs replacing anyway.
Shady Hollow
Take a look at our recent project in Shady Hollow to see how we provide professional chimney flashing repair to protect South Austin homes from severe roof leaks.
Dripping Springs
See our latest project in Dripping Springs featuring expert chimney damage repair and precision siding adjustments to ensure total home safety.
Most chimney leaks in Austin are flashing problems, not masonry problems. If the leak appears on interior walls or ceilings directly adjacent to the chimney after a rain event, the flashing is the first place to check. Masonry cracks and crown failures typically show water entry from above the roofline – water inside the firebox, staining at the top of the chimney interior, or efflorescence on the exterior brick. We check both during every chimney inspection.
Surface caulking over deteriorating flashing is a temporary measure, not a repair. It may stop a specific visible gap for a season, but it does not address the underlying metal failure or water infiltration that has already started. On a home with rusted step flashing, applying sealant over the rust delays the proper fix and allows water to continue working into the roof system in areas the caulk did not reach. We do not do surface-only patch repairs on flashing that has structurally failed.
A standard chimney flashing repair – step flashing replacement, counter flashing reset, and sealing – typically runs in the range of $400 to $900 depending on chimney size and the number of planes involved. A job requiring a full multi-layer tearoff and cricket build is more involved and priced accordingly. We provide a written estimate after inspection with no obligation.
It depends on the cause. Flashing failure from a storm event – wind lifting counter flashing, hail damage to the cap – is typically a covered claim. Flashing failure from age and lack of maintenance is generally not covered. If the damage involves both storm-related and age-related components, the claim picture gets more complex. We document what we find and can support an insurance claim where storm damage is a contributing factor.
Most chimney flashing repairs are completed in a single day. A straightforward step and counter flashing replacement on a standard chimney takes two to four hours. A larger job involving full tearoff, deck repair, and cricket construction may take a full day. We schedule these as standalone appointments and do not leave a job mid-repair.
Altitude Roofing is headquartered in the Belterra Village area of Southwest Austin (78737). We serve homeowners across 20 communities in the greater Austin metro and Central Texas, and can typically schedule an inspection within one to two business days.
If you have a leak near your chimney, or if your chimney flashing has not been inspected in the last few years, schedule a free inspection. We are based in the 78737 zip code, in the southwest Austin corridor, and can typically reach Austin and the surrounding area within one to two business days.
We will look at the entire flashing system, tell you exactly what is failing and why, and give you a written estimate before any work begins.
