A key prevention tool to keep water from rain and melted snow out of the inside of your chimney, flashing also serves to direct this away from your chimney. Consisting of metal parts, flashing is installed on the roof around the chimney to provide an airtight seal between the roof and the chimney. Ashbusters knows how important a properly installed and customized flashing system is because we have seen so many chimney water leaks caused by damaged or poorly installed flashing systems. You can trust our experienced chimney technicians to take precise measurements of your chimney to correctly install customized flashing made from the most appropriate material that will best protect your chimney from water penetration. We would like to tell you more about flashing by sharing with you some information from Masonry Magazine.
From which types of metal is flashing constructed?
Several different types of metal can be used to make a flashing system, including:
- copper – Durable and able to stand up to the high temperatures of a chimney, copper is an excellent moisture barrier. This metal can be safely embedded in fresh mortar and does not deteriorate in saturated and hardened mortar. One downside to using copper for flashing is that it could stain the chimney crown or the bricks.
- stainless steel – An excellent flashing material, stainless steel offers a good barrier to moisture, resistance to high temperatures, and can withstand exposure to chemicals. You can trust Ashbusters to know the exact thickness and type of stainless steel to use for an effective flashing system.
- galvanized steel – For this material to work successfully, galvanized steel should have a thick coating of zinc. However, since thick coatings tend to crack when the galvanized steel is folded, Ashbusters does not recommend it as a material for flashing.
- aluminum – As the alkalis present in fresh mortar will attack and corrode aluminum, it is also not recommended as a material for flashing.
Why is the proper installation of flashing so important?
For a flashing system to successfully prevent water from leaking into a chimney, several things must be taken into consideration during its installation. Flashing needs to fully extend to the outside and form a drip for water to run off. So that water cannot get behind the inner layer of the flashing, the flashing and the counter flashing must be properly layered. Finally, flashing should be continuous. Any bends or breaks in the flashing metal layers must be completely sealed. Our chimney technicians at Ashbusters will take careful measurements to be sure the flashing pieces will fit the area perfectly to serve as a watertight seal between your roof and chimney.
Keep the water out of your chimney with a professional flashing job from Ashbusters. Contact us to schedule a consultation of your chimney.