Have you ever wondered what that shiny stuff is on top of your roof? That’s the flashing, and it protects your home from chimney leaks. It makes sense that the most difficult area to keep leak free would be where two different materials meet. The joint where your chimney meets your roof is a natural spot for water to get in, and so to stop that from happening, home builders add flashing. Flashing is pieces of sheet metal that are staggered over the joints of your roof to prevent precipitation from getting through and into your home, causing water damage to the interior of your home or chimney.

Flashing Damage

Just like the siding and shingles, the flashing is exposed to extreme weather conditions. Strong winds and storms can cause your flashing to rip or crack or even come loose. When this happens, your home is more susceptible to rain damage. It isn’t only bad weather that can damage your flashing. Common wear and tear, the hot sun, and regular breakdown over time can also cause your flashing to crack or tear. This is one thing that we’ll be looking for when you call Chim Cheroo Chimney Service in to do your annual inspection.

Water Damage

Why is a little precipitation sneaking into your chimney a big deal? It’ll just evaporate out, right? Not so much. Water is the number one damage over time to chimneys, and that can cause problems inside your home as well. When water leaks into your chimney, it can seep through and cause softened floor, ceiling, and wall boards to occur. If you look around your fireplace and notice that the boards seem spongy, the ceiling paper is brown and water stained, or the plaster or wallpaper around the fireplace is weak and soft, you could have a problem with your flashing leaking. You could be looking at large repair bills to fix these areas up.

Another problem with leaking flashing is that, over time, the mortar of your chimney could get weakened. This can cause major structural damage to occur. In addition, the gasses that should be escaping through your chimney might now be seeping back into your home.

The FlashSeal Difference

It may seem as though there isn’t much that protects your flashing, but fortunately, we can help. We use a product called FlashSeal, which coats your flashing and leaves a waterproof membrane which can protect your flashing for seven years. This added protection gives you years of worry-free coverage, and saves you hundreds of dollars in repair work.

Stop worrying about chimney leaks! Give Chim Cheroo Chimney Service a call today to schedule an appointment to have your flashing sealed.