Flashing & Leak Repair in Ann Arbor

Snowmelt finds the seam. We close it.

4.9 · 1,066 Ann Arbor reviews

CSIA & NFPA certified

1-year workmanship warranty

Written quote before any work

40 years sweeping chimneys
3,412 verified Google reviews
4.9 average rating
CSIA-certified crew
NFPA 211 compliant
Licensed in 6 states
100% background-checked technicians
Free estimates
40 years sweeping chimneys
3,412 verified Google reviews
4.9 average rating
CSIA-certified crew
NFPA 211 compliant
Licensed in 6 states
100% background-checked technicians
Free estimates
40 years sweeping chimneys
3,412 verified Google reviews
4.9 average rating
CSIA-certified crew
NFPA 211 compliant
Licensed in 6 states
100% background-checked technicians
Free estimates
40 years sweeping chimneys
3,412 verified Google reviews
4.9 average rating
CSIA-certified crew
NFPA 211 compliant
Licensed in 6 states
100% background-checked technicians
Free estimates
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Pricing, before you commit

Want an estimate before booking?

A leak has to be traced before it can be honestly quoted — the stain on your ceiling is rarely under the hole. Use our free Inspection Cost Calculator to see what the diagnostic visit costs, in less than 30 seconds. No email, no callback.

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Live

flashing-leak-repair

$595 – $3,495

Inspection (credited)

−$49

Typical job

$595 – $2,000

Final price quoted in writing before any work.

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The craft, done properly
CHIMNEY FLASHING & LEAK REPAIR IN ANN ARBOR, MI

Flashing is the metal seal where the chimney passes through the roof, and it is the most leak-prone spot on most Ann Arbor houses. It works in two layers — step flashing woven into the shingle courses, counter-flashing set into the masonry above it — so water sheds outward at every level. In a Michigan winter that seal faces something rain never does: snow that sits, melts slowly against the roof, and backs up under the flashing instead of running off it.

Brown Chimney repairs and replaces flashing for $595–$3,495 depending on scope and access. We install step, counter, and saddle flashing in aluminium or lead-coated copper only — never plastic, never rubber, both of which go brittle in a Washtenaw County cold snap — sealed with chimney-rated elastomeric caulk. Chimneys wider than 30 inches at the roofline need a cricket by code to divert water and snow around the upslope side, and that is identified during the assessment.

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The Work

What flashing repair does for an Ann Arbor home.

The stain on your ceiling is rarely under the hole. Water enters at the flashing, runs along the roof deck or down the outside of the flue, and surfaces wherever gravity and framing let it. That is why the first job is diagnosis, not sealant — sealing the wrong seam is money spent to keep the leak.

Ann Arbor adds a seasonal wrinkle: leaks that only appear during a thaw are usually flashing, because snowmelt backs up under a lifted seam where a summer downpour would run straight past it. Flashing is also only one of several ways water gets in. A crazed crown, a missing cap, and failed mortar all deliver water into the same structure. If the crown is part of the problem, crown repair gets quoted alongside the flashing so both entry points close in one visit rather than one leak-chasing trip after another.

We trace and repair chimney leaks across Washtenaw County and in Brighton and Northville. See the local service list on the Ann Arbor page.

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When to book

What are the signs your chimney flashing has failed?

Flashing failure shows up inside the house long before anyone looks at the roof — and in Ann Arbor it often shows up first during a January thaw. These are the signs our crews hear about most.

01

Water stains on the ceiling or wall near the chimney

02

Damp or discoloured framing visible in the attic around the chimney

03

Shingles lifting, curling, or missing where the chimney meets the roof

04

Rusted, bent, or visibly separated metal at the roofline

05

Sealant that has hardened, cracked, or pulled away from the masonry

06

Leaks that appear during a thaw or in driving rain from one direction

If water is showing inside, the entry point needs finding before anything gets sealed. A $49 inspection traces it and puts the finding in writing, with the fee credited toward the repair.

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What to expect

What happens during a leak repair?

Leak work in Ann Arbor is diagnosed first, quoted second. Most flashing repairs complete in a single visit; jobs needing a cricket or extensive roof work are scoped during the assessment.

01

Leak source diagnosis

Water stains rarely start where they show. We trace the actual entry point — flashing, crown, cap, or masonry — before quoting anything, because sealing the wrong spot solves nothing.

02

Written quote before the roof is opened

You approve the exact price before anything is lifted. Chimneys wider than 30 inches at the roofline need a cricket by code — if yours does, that's identified and priced up front.

03

Old flashing removal

Failed flashing and hardened sealant come off down to sound roof deck. Any pre-existing shingle damage is documented and quoted separately rather than quietly absorbed.

04

New flashing installation

Step, counter, and saddle flashing set in aluminum or lead-coated copper — never plastic, never rubber — and sealed with chimney-rated elastomeric caulk.

05

Roof restored, photos taken

The roof area around the chimney base is restored, the work photographed before and after for your report, and covered by the 1-year workmanship warranty.

"

Moe (and team) did a great job with our chimney repairs! Moe’s inspection was thorough and he took the time to explain each task in the quote. Scheduling the repairs was easy and after the work was complete, he explained everything they did. Moe also took lots of pictures before and after the work to document, which I appreciated.

Jacob Rogers

Ann Arbor Client
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The Brown Chimney Standard · Ann Arbor

Built for Michigan winters, not brochure weather.

Freeze-thaw is the local enemy
Lake-effect snow sits for weeks, then thaws. That cycle is what cracks Ann Arbor mortar — and what our repairs are specified against.
Code-ready inspections
From older homes near campus to newer builds in Scio and Pittsfield Township, our repairs pass local inspection.
1-year workmanship warranty
Every piece of structural labor we perform is covered for a full year — in writing, not in promises.
Price fixed before we start
Measured on site, quoted in writing, approved by you — then the work begins. Never the other way around.
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For transparency

What this visit doesn't cover.

Pre-existing shingle or roof deck damage — documented in photos and quoted separately

Full roof replacement or repairs beyond the chimney area, which are a roofer's scope

Interior water damage from previous leaks (drywall, paint, insulation)

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FAQs

Common questions about flashing & leak repair in Ann Arbor

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How much does chimney flashing repair cost in Ann Arbor?

Brown Chimney flashing repair runs $595 to $3,495 depending on scope, roof pitch, and access. Chimneys requiring a cricket, or those needing lift access, are identified during the assessment and priced up front — the written quote comes before anything is lifted.
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Why does my chimney only leak when the snow melts?

Because meltwater behaves differently than rain. Snow sits against the roof and works sideways under a lifted flashing seam, where a vertical downpour runs straight past it. Thaw-only leaks are one of the clearest signs that flashing, not masonry, is the entry point.
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What material should chimney flashing be?

Aluminium or lead-coated copper — Brown Chimney installs nothing else. Plastic and rubber flashing go brittle under Michigan temperature swings and fail years sooner, which is why they are excluded regardless of cost. Joints are sealed with chimney-rated elastomeric caulk.
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What is a chimney cricket and do I need one?

A cricket is a small peaked structure behind the chimney that diverts water and snow around it instead of letting it pool against the upslope side. Code requires one on chimneys wider than 30 inches at the roofline — particularly important where snow load sits for weeks.
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Can I just caulk the flashing myself?

Caulk on failed flashing buys a season at most, and in Michigan often less — it seals the symptom while water keeps entering behind the metal. Proper repair means removing failed flashing down to sound roof deck and setting new step and counter-flashing.
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A safer hearth — for 2026

Traced, sealed, photographed.

Every Brown Chimney flashing repair in Ann Arbor starts by finding the actual entry point, is quoted in writing before anything is lifted, and is backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty. Book online or call 248-260-5979.