Chimney problems are hard to judge from the ground, and climbing up for a closer look is not something we recommend. A clear explanation is the safer first step. This page covers what people in North Vancouver usually want to know after a search for “chimney flashing”: what tends to go wrong, what a repair visit involves, what affects the price and how to tell a careful company from a hasty one. It is written to help you understand flashing repair, not to push you into it.
A masonry chimney has more parts than most people realize, and each one can need repair on its own. From the top down, you will usually find:
Inside the house sit the damper, the smoke chamber, the firebox and sometimes an ash dump. Factory-built chimneys swap the brick for a metal flue inside a framed chase with a metal cover on top.
The signs we trust most are darkened wood beside the chimney in the attic and lifted or caulk-covered metal where the chimney meets the roof. Flashing is a weak spot because it joins two things that move differently: a heavy masonry stack and a roof that shifts with the seasons. Done properly, it has two layers, step flashing woven in with the shingles and counter-flashing set into the mortar joints and folded down over it. Trouble starts when one layer is missing, when everything relies on caulk or when roofers reused tired metal during a reroof.
The most common materials are aluminum, galvanized steel, stainless steel and copper, with lead sometimes used for parts shaped around brick. Aluminum is light and easy to bend but should not sit against fresh mortar or concrete without a protective coating, since the alkaline mix can corrode it. Galvanized steel is strong but eventually rusts. Copper and stainless last a long time and suit higher-end roofs. Whatever the choice, the metal should be compatible with the roofing and with any other metal it touches. Ask which material your flashing repair quote includes and why it was chosen.
We run repairs in a set order: confirm, protect, fix, test, explain. Confirming means checking the chimney ourselves rather than relying only on the phone description, because the cause of a leak or a stuck part is not always where it seems. Protecting covers drop cloths inside and care around shrubs and shingles outside. The repair itself depends on the part involved. Testing might mean running water over new flashing, cycling a damper several times or checking draft with a little smoke. We finish by walking you through what we did and showing photos of areas you cannot see from the ground.
Chimney flashing is repaired by resealing it when the metal is still sound or by replacing it when it is rusted, bent or installed incorrectly. Resealing means cleaning out failed caulk and applying a new flexible sealant where the counter-flashing meets the brick. Replacement involves lifting the surrounding shingles, fitting new step flashing piece by piece, cutting a groove into a mortar joint for new counter-flashing and sealing it in. Wide chimneys may also get a cricket, a small peaked diverter on the uphill side that steers water around. Sealant alone is a short-term fix when the metal underneath has failed.
Small chimney repairs, such as replacing a cap, sealing a crown or freeing a damper, often take a few hours. Mid-sized jobs like new flashing, a new chase cover or a fan installation usually fit into a day. Larger masonry work, including repointing an entire stack or rebuilding the section above the roof, can take several days, because mortar and concrete need time to set between stages. Weather adds to the schedule for anything done outside, since rain and cold delay masonry. Ask for an estimate of both working time and total calendar time before the job is booked.
A common guideline is to have a chimney inspected once a year, and many homeowners schedule it before the colder months when the fireplace sees more use. Yearly checks catch small problems such as a loosening cap, a new crack in the crown or a worn mortar joint before they let water in. It also makes sense to have the chimney looked at after a major storm, a chimney fire, a roof replacement or any change of insert, stove or appliance. Chimneys that are rarely used still need checking, because weather damages them whether or not you light fires.
In most cases, yes. Reusing old flashing under new shingles saves a little time but often shortens the life of the job, because aged metal and sealant may fail long before the new roof does. Replacing it during a reroof is simpler, since the shingles around the chimney are already off. Agree in advance who will do it, the roofer or a chimney company, and how the counter flashing will be set into the mortar joints. People who see “chimney flashing” mentioned in a roofing quote should ask whether it means new metal or simply fresh sealant over the old pieces.
Pick the company that gives you specifics. One that knows chimneys asks what yours is made of and what burns in it before giving a figure, and it talks about the cause of a problem rather than just the symptom. On site, it should take photos from the roof and inside the flue, lay out the options and let you decide without pressure. Tidy work matters, since soot and mortar dust travel. Ask how follow-up questions are handled once the job is done, and whether the same crew will come back if something needs a second look.
Most problems with your chimney start small and grow when they are left alone for a few seasons. If something on this page sounded familiar, have it checked while it is still minor. Call Chimney Sweep North Vancouver at (778) 601-9928 to arrange a visit in North Vancouver.
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