Good flashing is actually two separate pieces working together: step flashing, woven into the roof shingles course by course, and counter flashing, set into the chimney masonry and folded down over the step flashing. When either piece is missing, corroded, or was never installed correctly, water finds the gap almost immediately during a hard rain.
Why this is such a common failure point in DFW specifically
Two things stack up against flashing here. First, roofers and chimney specialists sometimes each assume the other handled it correctly during a re-roof, and counter flashing gets caulked over instead of properly rebuilt, which fails within a season or two. Second, DFW’s hailstorms are hard on exposed metal flashing, denting or lifting edges that then catch wind-driven rain. We see both causes constantly.
How we fix it properly
Signs your flashing has failed
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if it’s the flashing or the crown that’s leaking?
Both show up as water stains near the fireplace, which is why we always check both during an inspection. Flashing leaks tend to show up during or right after rain; crown leaks can be slower and show as a persistent damp smell.
My roofer says the flashing is fine. Should I get a second opinion?
It is worth it if you are still seeing leaks. Flashing sits at the boundary between roofing and chimney trades, and we occasionally find it was assumed to be someone else’s responsibility during a prior repair.
Does flashing repair mean tearing up my roof?
Not typically. Step flashing repair works with the existing shingle courses rather than requiring a full re-roof, though we will always tell you if a section genuinely needs roofing work first.
Will new flashing outlast the next hailstorm?
Properly installed metal flashing is designed to handle normal storm exposure. No flashing is completely hail-proof, but a correctly rebuilt seal holds up far better than a caulked patch.