Flashing Repair
Metal, Not Caulk
Shingles almost never leak; the metal where they meet walls, chimneys, valleys and pipes does. Real flashing repair is metalwork — the caulk gun is how it got this bad.
Every Transition Is A Flashing Job
Where roof meets wall: step flashing woven shingle-by-shingle, counter-flashed above. Where roof meets chimney: a four-sided metal system with a cricket behind wide stacks. Valleys: continuous metal carrying double water volume. Pipes: boots whose rubber collars crack on schedule at 10–15 years. When any of these fail, the “roof leak” begins — and each has a correct metal repair that lasts decades, versus the caulk bead that lasts seasons.
Why The Last “Fix” Made It Worse
Caulk over failed flashing traps water behind it and hides the problem while rot spreads — we open these up weekly. Proper repair means removing courses, rebuilding the metal in sequence, and re-shingling over it. If storm damage caused the failure (wind-peeled flashing is common), the repair belongs in an insurance claim, and we document that while we’re in there.
Asked On Driveways All Week
How do I know my flashing is failing?
Stains at ceiling edges near walls and chimneys, rust streaks on the metal, or visible lifted flashing after wind. If someone has caulked it before, assume it is failing again.
Can flashing be repaired without redoing the roof?
Yes — flashing repair lifts only the courses involved. It is precision work, which is why the caulk shortcut is so popular and so temporary.
Are pipe boot replacements really that common?
They are our most common single leak fix — the rubber collars are consumable parts on a 10–15 year clock regardless of shingle quality.
How do I know if my roof flashing is bad?
Stains near walls and chimneys, rust streaks, lifted metal after wind — and any flashing already buried in caulk should be presumed failing again.
How much of a roof leak problem is flashing?
The large majority — shingle fields rarely leak; the transitions where metal meets material are where nearly every leak we trace begins.
What is step flashing on a roof?
Individual L-shaped metal pieces woven betweenevery shingle course where roof meets wall — each step sheds to the one below. Continuous strips in that spot are the shortcut that leaks.
How long does roof flashing last?
Quality metal flashing outlasts the shingles around it — which is why replacement roofs get new flashing anyway: reusing old metal in a new roof is false economy.
Can flashing be repaired without replacing shingles?
The courses around the repair lift and re-lay — that’s the precision that separates flashing repair from the caulk-gun visit.
Leak-Source Family
Flashing’s neighbors in the leak business.
Leak Near A Wall Or Chimney?
That’s flashing until proven otherwise — free trace and quote.