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leak in chimney water comes threw brick

17K views 51 replies 10 participants last post by  the roofing god 
#1 ·
Hello
We have this problem with water coming threw the brick half way down chimney face brick on the outside portion of chimney on a finished sun porch and at inside ceiling.
We just had the chimney redone from the roof line up.The mason thought it was coming threw the flues, we have 3. 1 is for the furnace, 1 for the fireplace and 1 for the beehive stove on the sun porch. I caped off the 2 we are not using (Fireplace & Beehive ) but we still get it, so I have ruled out not coming down the pipes. I have just put on the DEFY heavy duty water sealer repellent to the entire chimney above roof to see if that fixes it. I have picture showing the problem areas, below the ceiling and in the attic. Any help would be a step in the right direction. I will need to find out how to post the pictures and will post link for the visuals this afternoon.
Thanks
 
#2 ·
When you say you had the chimney redone.was it a tear down and rebuild or just repointing the mortar joints?

Were new bricks used if it was a tear down?

Did the mason check the condition of the flashing?

How's the roofing in that area?

It could be that you need another coat of the water sealant,a flashing problem or roofing leak.

I'd start with checking the flashing and roof first,move on to a second coat of sealer.
After visual inspection,of the flashing:
You could use a garden hose ,held down close to the roof,isolating the chimney from being the problem and see if it leaks.
Then move the hose up the chimney till the leak reappears to find the trouble spot ending at the caps.
Give the water a while to seep into the interior as sometimes it will take some time before it appears.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hello
Yes the Chimney was completely tore down to the roof line new bricks and flashing as well as new flues from the roof line up. All New in March, the roof was replaced 10 years ago so it is relatively new still. We had a problem before the new roof, they said it was the joints from the chimney and brick to get it replaced we just did. This link (if it works) shows the problem we are having. This is prior to the sealant I just put on the other day, so I don't know if it will fix the problem or not until the next rain. Now the Link http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AauGzJi2ZMnFw&notag=1

If it works you will see the problem if not I will try to post it on another site.
 
#4 ·
don't think the sealant'll,,,

solve your problem as its interior ( negative side ),,, ck your flashing ( step or counter ),,, from what i can see, the moisture appears to be coming thru the block, not running down either side of the block.

sorry i can't see your house from my house, tho.
 
#5 ·
That is a pretty horrible looking chiney cap.

A good cap should overhang the widest parts of the chimney by several inches and have a formed drip so the water drips down to the roof and not run down the chimney until it is absorbed or finds a leakage point.

The flasshing does not look good either and wonder if you have step flashing on the side of the chimney.
 
#7 ·
tinner is right,your metal flashing work is horrible,needs to be replaced,that`s where I would start,you may have other problems as well,you can also get steel? flue tubes to reline the 3 flues if there are further problems,---it looks like the cement cap has cracks at its edges where it finishes off to the brick
 
#8 ·
Hello

All this was done by a mason who has been "doing this for thirty year" I thought he would do it correctly. Now my problem is trying to get him back over. He did all the caulking inside and out when I first noticed that we had a problem. There is a ton of flashing on the sides and front, I will take a couple of pictures today if I can for your advice again. I guess at this point I should have a second Guy take a look and give me a price?
 
#9 ·
If you paid 1 guy to do it,have him come touch up the cement cap,but I would look for a qualified roofer to do the chimney flashing work,have the new flashing reglets(groove cut for flashing insertion,typically 1/2" into brick)above the other guys mess,cut the old metal flush to the chimney(if you try to pull it out it will weaken the chimney)replace the shingles at chimney perimeter,install strips of ice&water shield around chimney laying up the faces of the chim. 3",then put apron,step,backpan,and counterflashings
 
#15 ·
Hello
Thanks for the help,I took photos of the outside since this is where the problem is now suspected. He said that the flashing is set into the brick 1" and then overlapped 4" back also something about double flashed? I was surprised to see that all the flashing was on top of the roofing when it was done but trusted the work. Please see attached and let me know if it should just be re-shingled from the roof line down on the lower roof (sun porch) we have no problems of leaks or trouble on the house side (higher Roof) or the front of the house. At this point if I get anything done I would rather have it done right by someone else or at least get a different person looking at it. I am not even sure if I can get him back to do the cap the correct way. Here is the link to the new pictures, thanks
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AauGzJi2ZMnJA&notag=1
 
#17 ·
it doesn`t look rebuilt,top 3 or so courses have built up dirt?,looks like he brushed (very little)added some pointing(minor),and painted the cement cap,----I would remove the shingles 3 ft. around the chimney and redo from there,definitely have a good mason out to repair the chimney properly.a good flashing job has the flashings interwoven with the shingles,and shouldn`t need any tar-sorry you got taken
 
#18 ·
Ditto what I said before. Your mason didn't do much of anything that is correct, even with the masonary. To be blunt, you were ripped off.
Sue him for damages and that may help pay the roofer you have to hire now.

Your roof will need repair from the front of the chimney to the ridge. And the chimney may need repair. Depends on what he finds when he tears that masons??? metal off to do a proper job.:censored:
 
#21 ·
Hello

The whitish stain is from the sealer I put on not sure why it did it in that one area only I asked for the chimney sealer and was given the heavy duty sealer that was also for walks and walls that would protect against salt and deicer chemicals when I questioned it he said it was good for both? The chimney use to be out of a completely different brick, I saw the tear down being done so I know it is new but was done improperly. I guess that roofers will only do it if they replace it from the roof lines down because the current roof is 10 years old? It would cost more to take him to court then to have repairs or fixes done.
What is the best way to remove the caulk in the attic? Is the flashing on the sides of the chimney incorrect as well, he put the caulk over the flashing and roof after I first noticed a problem and now it would be easier to get a new guy in then trying to hash it out with him. I don't like being jerked around but I would rather take my lumps and move on at this point just to get the problem fixed before I have interior damage as well.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Hey again Kdawg,
The flashing on the sides of the chimney actually looks pretty good,as long as there was step flashing at each shingle under his counter flashing(the lead you see on the sides of the chimney).If he meant for the counter flashing to act as a step flashing than it could be cut just above the roof line and step flashing should be slipped and nailed under each course of shingles.

I would be concerned in two areas;

1) The flashing at the rear of the chimney
2)The step in the roof line where it is difficult to tuck in a piece of flashing without pulling off the upper piece of facia.

Like Roofing god stated,ice and water is a good first defense against any seepage.Correctly done,it will act as a barrier for the perimeter of the chimney,followed by the correct flashing method.
The ice and water should be at room temp.or better to seal correctly at the overlaps.You can do this by having it inside before installation.

Any water/snow that hits the back of that chimney will stop and find any penetration it can.

And have that cap looked at again.
 
#24 ·
Actually,you can save quite a bit of money by keeping the flashing on the sides and bottom of chimney in place.Just make sure the step flashing is in place.No sense in disturbing those mortar joints around the existing flashing.
The back of the chimney is the last part to get done when the flashing is installed,so it looks like the mason cut corners here.This is the only section that will need new flashing.
 
#28 ·
Just amuse me for a minute here,

Why would you pull out the counter flashing that seems to be set in the mortar joints properly(on the sides and bottom of the chimney)and then cut into the brick with a diamond blade (adding another penetration in the chimney)to install new flashing?
That lead counter flashing could be easily cut(just above the roof line),pulled up to install the step flashing(if it isn't there) re-shingled (to get rid of the tarred shingles)and pushed back in place.
I do not see the point of removing that flashing.

I disagree,and doubt you would spend less doing parts of the job
Time is money.not to mention the purchase of new flashing.
My intention was to save the HO some$,yours seems to be an ego thing.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Basically, everthing about your chimney is done incorrectly.

Mortar Joints are still not pointed correctly.

Concrete splash block, (not cap), does not overhang the sides which allaows all water to flow directly into the brick and the joints.

A small jump up to another roof level which does not have flashings done properly.

Not sure about this one, but it does not seem as if there is a cricket to divert the water from the gable roof side of the chimney to the main roof surface on the slightly lower roof.

The sheet metal flashings look as if somebody pounded them in with a mallet.

There is signs of significant moisture which has wicked into the decking underneath the chimney area.

Caulking done on the under side was totally useless.

Masonry is not water "Proof" anyways, so, once ths chimney gets re-done with tuck-pointing repairs and a properly affixed cement splash block, then the shingle and related flashing issues can be dealt with.

10 year old shingles may already be pretty brittle, so it may be a reasonable request for a roofing contractor to tear-off and re-do the entire roof section.

Chimney flashings consist of at least several seperate pieces of sheet metal.

Bottom side, which faces the eave edge, requires a base apron flashing, also sometimes called a Roof To Wall flashing.

Then both sides get the interply base step flashings installed as the courses of shingles get installed.

Then, on the top side, a cricket needs to be made to divert the down flowing water from directly running into the masonry obstacle without having anyplace to expell itself. This should get a sheet metal flashing installed directly on top of the wooden cricket and go up the wall of the top side of the chimney at least 4".

Then on all 4 sides, a sheet metal counter flashing needs to be installed. This can be mounted in a stepped pattern, or as a surface mounted or reglet fitting installation. These counter flashings then get attached to the 4 side walls of the brick chimney.

I would also add a chimney sealer product, such as one called chimney saver. This is an exterior applied brushable clear coating that encapsulates the exterior of the masonry structure. This needs to be re-applied every 3-5 years or so, to keep the bricks and mortar joints water-proof.

Ed
 
#27 ·
this is GREAT,,,

can't believe how much i'm learning,,, have to do my own in atl, ga,,, THANKS VERY MUCH, ALL ! ! !,,, flashing, step flashing, & counterflashing were still a slight mystery to me.

1 thing more,,, the ' chimney sealer ',,, we use prosoco's silicone siloxane,,, any other suggestions ?

thanks, buds !
 
#29 ·
can't believe how much i'm learning,,, have to do my own in atl, ga,,, THANKS VERY MUCH, ALL ! ! !,,, flashing, step flashing, & counterflashing were still a slight mystery to me.

1 thing more,,, the ' chimney sealer ',,, we use prosoco's silicone siloxane,,, any other suggestions ?

thanks, buds !
Order the product catalog from Copperfield Chimney supplies and you will see plenty of alternatives.

Ed

P.S. The term "Flashing" is used so indiscriminantly by so many contractors who either do not know the proper terminology, or they don't care and prefer to confuse the home owner, and that it is a continual battle when comparing bids.

But the other contractor is doing flashings. Right?

NO. Not unless they spell out all of the indivdual steps and required materials.

Just slapping roofing cement on top of the existing embedded counter flashings on the chimney in the previous photo could technically be considered as applying a counter flashing to it.
 
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