I have two leaks, both of them probably coming through compromised flashing on two different wood-framed chimney chases. These need immediate attention, but I’m not sure how to proceed. We just bought the house last year, and it looks like the previous owner applied caulk in an effort to repair one of the chases, but the other is leaking badly. The roof is 20 years old, and we figured a new roof was in our future, but we can’t afford a complete re-roof right now. We were hoping to forestall another year.
What sort of repair makes sense, in terms of the chimney chases, right now? If I have someone tear everything out and properly flash, perhaps adding crickets or something, would that work just be torn out again, when the roof is redone next year? I don’t really know anything about roofing. Does it make more sense to just caulk it to death, if we are re-roofing in a year?
Thanks
Replies
If you goop the crap outta it with black stuff............
It will be more of a pain in the rear to deal with later. It might deface what's there and that means you need to cover that up on the re-roof.
Where's the leak? Uphill on the chase, or down at the bottom where no kickout is causing the chimney covering to rot?
If you can find the source, and are careful-a cold weather caulk for that purpose could be used in the right way to buy time. Urethane caulk for one (if you keep it warm b/4 you use it), Geocel, or a product called Through the Roof.
I'm not sure where it's entering, exactly. I just called a contractor who is coming out next week. I plan to take a look this weekend, and I'll report back.
So, I am correct then, in thinking that whatever is done now would be torn out in the re-roofing process?
You might be correct............
No way to tell from here, but correct flashing is a complete system-one pc covers another from the bottom to the top. You repair the middle, and then tear off the roof to replace, might not be a bad idea to replace all the flashing in the problem area if possible. One system complements and covers for another.
The other rub in the system, most flashings cover something and go under something-that something probably is the siding on the chimney chase-to remove the flashing you most probably will have to get INTO that siding. Or, find the problem and deal with it with the step flashing, allowing the counterflashing (if any) to remain as is up under that siding.
This really is a call for a good professional. A bad professional will reroof and just goop the crap outta the existing flashing. When it leaks maybe 5 yrs down the road, he'll be long gone in a new business in the next county.
Yeah...
I think we need to just get the new roof now. It doesn't make sense to patch. There are a couple other dicey spots, and the whole roof is worn thin. I was looking last night at metal roofing, but after initially thinking it looked like a great idea, I'm not so sure. I think we have almost ruled it out, in fact. I'm going to start a new thread to ask about it, though.
Your roofer might be willing to do a patch now to get the roofing job later.
Yeah, it would be a good way to vet a roofer -- if they return your calls, listen to you, explain things reasonably well, and provide good service at a reasonable cost then they're worth a shot for the reroof job.
I'd be inclined to say make do w/ something simple (caulking it to death). Tough to do it right, at this point and you MAY have to redo when you reroof anyway. If you have shingles and the problem is the uphill side of the chimney (often the achillies heel of this situation) ... you could divert bulk water w/ a couple of pieces of flashing slipped under the shingles and angled to either side of the chimney. Get youself through the season in whatever way is cheapest/easiest for now.