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Home/Roofing/Masonry chimney needs work

Roofing · Plan the timing

Masonry chimney needs work

Tuckpointing and crown repair are far cheaper while there is already scaffolding and a crew on the roof. Doing it after the new roof is on means disturbing fresh flashing. The part you handle is the timing.

Chimney flashing
Quick answerIf the chimney needs tuckpointing or a new crown, get it done before or during the reroof, not after. Tuckpointing and crown repair are far cheaper while there is already scaffolding and a crew on the roof. Doing it after the new roof is on means disturbing fresh flashing. You can handle this one yourself. No call needed: spot the signs, then sequence the work.

This is most common in homes built before about 1940. Old chimneys lose mortar from the joints, and the concrete or mortar cap on top, the crown, cracks. Both let water into the masonry, and the flashing around the chimney depends on sound mortar joints to hold.

A red brick chimney against a blue sky
A brick chimney. The mortar joints and the crown on top are the parts to check before a reroof. Photo by chris robert on Unsplash.

1Why the timing matters

  • Counter flashing sits in the mortar. It’s set into the mortar joints. Repointing after the new roof means disturbing new flashing.
  • Access is already there. Scaffolding, ladders and roof protection are in place during a reroof.
  • One sequence, fewer leaks. Masonry first, then flashing, then shingles is the order that keeps the joints tight.

2How to check it yourself

  1. Look with binocularsRecessed, crumbling or missing mortar between bricks, loose or spalling bricks, and cracks in the crown on top are the signs.
  2. Look at the baseRust streaks below the flashing or thick sealant smeared around the base suggest earlier leaks.
  3. Look insideDamp or stained walls or ceilings near the chimney, or crumbling mortar in the attic, point the same way.
  4. Put it in the planIf you’re getting roof quotes, tell each contractor about the chimney so the masonry is scheduled before the flashing goes on.
Doing it yourself

Your job here is spotting and scheduling, from the ground and the attic. Don’t climb onto the roof to inspect the chimney.

3How to sequence the work

What you handle

  • Spot the mortar and crown problems
  • Ask whether your roofer does masonry or works with someone who does
  • Make sure the masonry is done before the new flashing
  • Get the order of work in writing

What the crew does

  • Tuckpoint failing joints
  • Repair or replace the crown
  • Install new step and counter flashing
  • Shingle around the finished chimney

4What drives the cost

The price depends on the height of the chimney, how much mortar has failed, whether the crown needs repair or replacement, and access. Doing it while the roof crew and access are already there avoids paying for setup twice and avoids disturbing new flashing.

Roofing cost

5Questions

Can I wait and do the chimney later?

You can, but it costs more and means disturbing the new flashing. If the chimney needs work, do it with the roof.

Does my roofer do masonry?

Some do; others bring in a mason. Ask, and get the order of work in writing so the masonry is finished before the flashing goes on.

Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.