Flashing repair: chimneys, walls, skylights and valleys
A leak by the chimney, along a wall, around a skylight or in a roof valley is usually a flashing problem. We repair the flashing without touching the rest of the roof.
What flashing is and why it fails
Flashing is the metal (and sometimes rubber) that seals the joints where the roof meets something else: a chimney, a wall, a skylight, another slope or the roof edge. It fails when sealant dries and cracks in the sun, when nails back out, when metal rusts or bends, or when wind lifts the shingles that hold it down.
Chimney flashing
Chimneys have flashing on all four sides, plus a counter-flashing set into the brick or siding. When the sealant or mortar joint opens, water runs down the chimney and shows up on the ceiling next to it. Chimney flashing is one of the causes local homeowners mention most in reviews of roofers who found and fixed their leak.
Wall (step) flashing
Where a roof runs up against a wall, small pieces of step flashing are woven in with each row of shingles. If one piece is missing or bent, water gets behind the siding and can show up inside the wall or on the ceiling below.
Skylight leaks
Most skylight leaks come from the flashing around the frame, not the glass. We check the flashing and the seal on all four sides and repair the one that lets water in.
Roof valleys
A valley is where two slopes meet. It carries the water from both sides, so it is the first place to overflow in heavy rain. Baytown averages about 20 days a year with an inch of rain or more, and those are the days valley leaks show up.
Roof edges: drip edge, fascia and soffit
At the edge of the roof, a metal drip edge keeps water off the fascia board. When it is missing or bent, water soaks the fascia and can rot it and the soffit; we repair the parts that let water in at the roof edge.
How we fix flashing without redoing the roof
- Find the joint where water enters.
- Lift the shingles around it, take out the failed flashing and sealant.
- Fit new flashing pieces and seal them the right way (step flashing woven in, counter-flashing set into the joint).
- Lay the shingles back over and seal them.
Need this repaired? Call us now.
We always pick up. If we ever miss your call, we call back within 30 minutes. Open 24/7. Roof Bolt, 999 W Texas Ave, Baytown, TX 77520.
Call Now (281) 767-9183