How To Repair A Roof Leak Around A Chimney

Inspect the flashing for gaps or cracks.

How to repair a roof leak around a chimney. Use a chisel to remove any hardened roofing cement. First roughen the area around the hole with a wire brush or sandpaper and then clean it. Small holes or corroded spots in flashing can be easily repaired. Always run the water downhill.

If there is no leak on the front or low side of the chimney move the water one shingle at a time up along the side of the chimney. Water test the roof at the area of the chimney using a garden hose. Use masonry nails or screws to reattach the flashing tight against the chimney. Plug pinholes with roofing cement and patch holes up to about 3 4 inch in diameter with a patch from the same material as the flashing.

Apply a generous amount of roofing cement behind the flashing. Pause at least one minute at each shingle as you move up the roof shingles on that side of the chimney but don t let the water get behind the chimney yet. Clean any leaves or other debris out of the gap between the flashing and chimney. Apply roof cement to any gaps or cracks.

Chimney roof leaks are usually caused by gaps or cracks between the metal flashing used to join the chimney to the roof and the chimney. To do this ask an assistant to observe the area of the ceiling near the chimney and run water along the sealed gaps of the.