Chimney flashing repair for homes in Surfside

Higher pieces lap over lower ones

Metal on a roof sheds water the same way roofing does. The piece higher on the slope goes over the piece below it, not under. Where sections join along a long side, the upper section should cover the lower one by a real overlap rather than a butt joint filled with sealant.

A lap installed the wrong way round sends water straight into the seam. It can look tidy from the ground and still leak in heavy rain. We check the direction of each lap we can reach, and we explain any we could not see without opening more roofing.

What the flashing estimate spells out

A flashing estimate should let you see exactly what is being opened, replaced and put back. Ours for homes in Surfside list the parts below, face by face, so two proposals can be compared line for line.

With upfront pricing, the amount on the approved estimate covers that scope in full. If the work reveals something new, it comes to you as a separate item before it is done.

• The faces of the chimney included in the work
• Which metal pieces are replaced and which are kept
• The roofing to be lifted and how it is restored
• Any items priced separately, such as repointing or decking

A short-term measure while you plan

Sometimes the permanent repair has to wait, perhaps for a roof replacement or for matching tile to arrive. A temporary measure can reduce water entry in the meantime. It is not a repair, and it should not be priced or described as one.

If we recommend a temporary step, the estimate labels it clearly and lists it separately from the permanent work. It says what the temporary step does and what it does not do. You then know it needs watching, and that the full repair is still to come.

Brick damage right at the roof line

The bricks just above the roof line can stay wet longer than the rest of the chimney, because runoff and splash from the roof keep hitting them. Over time their faces may flake or their joints may wash out, right where the counter flashing is set.

We check those courses closely. If the brick is sound, the counter flashing goes back into its joint. If faces are breaking away, the brick work is listed separately, and we explain whether it should happen before the new flashing goes in.