# Can flashing leak into the fireplace?



## bornfromjets (Mar 19, 2021)

I am at the end of my rope dealing with water coming into the house. Hoped I could get some opinions or advice from some sage and experienced souls, since I'm not making much progress in the real world. Sorry / Long.

I had a new roof put on 2 years ago. I question that it was done right, and have had several leaks already from the chimney flashing. He apparently did not replace the flashing with the new roof, even though it was in the contract. The first leak happened 2 days after the roof was put on! Calls to the original roofer, damage to my upstairs walls at the chimney; I've had him back up on a ladder twice just in the past month or so, he has "his guy" get up there with a caulking gun and then tells me it should be alright. Then I obsessively look for water in my walls every time it rains. It's exhausting.

A few weeks ago, aka the last time he was up there patching something, the next rain after - water started coming INTO the chimney and dripping INSIDE the fireplace - I had to put towels and a bowl inside the firebox to catch the water. This has never happened before. I had him come out and look at the chimney cap/stone (that he also installed) and he caulked all over that. Yesterday it rained, and again, water poured in the chimney all day, worse than last week. Is he knocking something loose with the flashing when he gets up on a ladder at the base of the chimney?

I've called 3 roofers to look at it and give me estimates. I'm fed up with him and I just want it done right, even if that means I have to pay out of pocket for new flashing. They've looked and quickly said that the flashing needs to be replaced (obviously). But when I ask why it is leaking INSIDE the fireplace, and will new flashing fix that, one roofer says "he can't say why there is water coming into the chimney but can schedule my flashing replacement". The other says "it might be coming from the cap and we can install a new custom metal cap along with the flashing. Another says he just can't say for sure and I might need a mason not a roofer......

Does anyone have any professional experience where bad flashing can leak INSIDE the chimney? How do I know who can diagnose and fix this? I cannot spend $2k on new flashing and still have water coming in the chimney. I spent all day yesterday calling roofers (some are too busy now to even make it for an estimate) and chimney/mason guys, who tell me the best thing to do with an unused chimney is tear it down to the roof and shingle over it. I have no idea what to do, and despite reaching out to at least 8 people by phone and email, I've made no progress at all. Help??


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## roofermann (Jul 7, 2012)

Got any pics (of the chimney. from outside)? Sounds like he's fixed the flashing leak but the metal or masonry cap on your chimney is now leaking.


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## bornfromjets (Mar 19, 2021)

I do! Thank you for your reply.
Chimney


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## bornfromjets (Mar 19, 2021)

"Cap"

I asked him to cap it off 2 yrs ago while they were up there roofing, bc my chimney is/was open straight up to the air from the living room fireplace. 

He got up to caulk it after the first leak on Feb 28 and I asked him to snap a picture. I've never even seen the cap.


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## bornfromjets (Mar 19, 2021)

The beginning of the very first leak - started the first rain after he was up patching up the flashing. I think there must be more caulking surrounding my chimney than flashing!

Really appreciate any ideas. Thanks!!


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## OldNBroken (Apr 20, 2019)

I've never seen anyone cap a chimney like that before. Definitely umm different.
He is correct that you can remove the chimney below the roofline, sheet it and roof it, as long as it is abandoned and you don't have any reason to keep it. Normally we do that during the reroof but that ship has sailed. 
I cannot say where it is leaking from the pictures but I'd definitely assume it is their "cap".
Simple solution is to flash both the base and the cap properly which neither of these are.
I expected to see some stone monstrosity since those are the biggest pains to replace flashings on and I have been guilty more than once of re-using flashings. As long as they are going to work properly there is generally no problem.
Yours is not the case. This is not a difficult chimney to reflash and counterflash then install a new metal cap. Should solve all your issues


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