Chimney and flashing repair — where most Huntsville roof leaks really start
Nine of ten leaks we find aren't the shingles. They're the flashing: a brick chimney with no cricket, step flashing caulked instead of woven, a rusted valley. We fix them with metal that lasts.
Huntsville is a brick town — the ranches of south Huntsville and Jones Valley, the colonials in Hampton Cove and Madison, the older houses off Whitesburg and in Five Points — and brick means chimneys, and chimneys are where the leaks are. A chimney on the back slope with no cricket collects leaves and water behind it; counterflashing surface-mounted and caulked instead of cut into the mortar lets water run behind it; step flashing along a dormer wall gets smeared with sealant by a previous roofer instead of replaced. Add rusted valley metal, cracked pipe boots and a satellite dish lag-bolted through the shingles, and you have most of the ceiling stains in Madison County.
Chimneys get the full treatment: base flashing woven into the shingles, a cricket (saddle) on the uphill side of any chimney wider than 30 inches, and counterflashing cut into the mortar joints and sealed — not surface-mounted. Walls get new step flashing under the siding, plus kick-out flashing at the eave. Valleys get cleaned, re-metaled with ice-and-water beneath, and re-shingled. Boots get replaced with lead or long-life silicone. Every repair is photographed before and after, and we show you where the water was getting in.
What's included
Chimney flashing & crickets
Base, step and counterflashing replaced; crickets built where the chimney is wide enough to need one.
Step & wall flashing
New step flashing woven with the shingles behind the siding or brick, plus kick-out flashing at the eave.
Valley repair
Debris cleared, rusted metal replaced, ice-and-water installed, shingles re-laid.
Pipe boots & vents
Cracked rubber boots replaced with lead or silicone; rusted vents and turtle vents replaced.
Chimney caps & crowns
Cracked crowns sealed or rebuilt; stainless caps to keep water and animals out of the flue.
Leak diagnosis
Attic inspection, water testing when needed, and a photographed explanation of the source before the repair.
Flashing repair cost in Huntsville, AL
| Job | Typical installed price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe boot replacement | $175 – $350 | Per boot, lead or silicone |
| Step / wall flashing, per wall | $450 – $1,200 | Siding or trim removed and reset |
| Chimney reflash (base, step, counter) | $650 – $1,800 | Cut into mortar |
| Chimney cricket, built and flashed | $500 – $1,200 | Usually with the reflash |
| Valley repair, per valley | $500 – $1,500 | New metal and underlayment |
| Chimney crown repair / cap | $250 – $900 | Crown seal or stainless cap |
Flashing repairs are priced per item after we've found the source. If the roof around the flashing is at the end of its life, we'll say so rather than sell a repair a re-roof will replace next year.
Recent work
Questions we get about chimney & flashing
Why does my chimney leak only in heavy rain?
Usually water backing up behind the chimney where there's no cricket, or wind-driven rain getting past surface-mounted counterflashing. Both are fixed by rebuilding the flashing properly, not by more caulk.
Isn't caulk good enough?
For a year or two. Sealant on flashing dries, cracks and lets water in behind it. Metal flashing lapped correctly doesn't need sealant to be waterproof.
Can you find a leak that only shows up sometimes?
Yes — from the attic, where the stain on the decking points to the entry, and with a hose test when it doesn't. We show you photos of the source before we quote.
Should a chimney sweep look at it too?
For the flue and firebox, yes; we handle the exterior — flashing, crown and cap. If bricks are spalling or the crown is badly cracked, we'll tell you it needs a mason.
Do you fix leaks around skylights?
Yes — reflash when the unit is sound, replace when it's an old acrylic bubble.
How long does a flashing repair take?
Most in half a day. A chimney with a cricket and counterflashing cut into mortar is a full day.