Covering 3 ZIP codes
Chimney Flashing Repair in Somerville, MA
Water on a ceiling near the chimney, appearing only in driving rain, is the signature of failed flashing — and on a Massachusetts slate roof it is skilled work rather than a quick patch.
- Covering 3 Somerville ZIP codes
- Free to use, no obligation
Leave the building and call from outside — that is an emergency services call, not a service call. A blocked or failed flue is one of the ways carbon monoxide reaches a living space, and headaches that clear when you leave the house point the same way. If you have had a chimney fire — a roaring sound, dense smoke, or debris on the roof — do not light another fire until the flue has been inspected.
Call about flashing repair in Somerville
(844) 785-4066Free to use, and there is nothing to pay us. You are never committed to going ahead.
What happens when you call
- You describe the problem and where you are.
- We put you in touch with a licensed contractor covering that area.
- They arrange the visit and agree the price with you directly.
Worth having to hand
- Roughly how old the system is
- What it is doing — or not doing
- Your ZIP code
What to ask for on Chimney Flashing Repair in Somerville
- Step and counter-flashing in copper or lead-gray metal
- Reglet cut into the mortar joint
- Slate and cedar shingle detailing
- Coordinated with reroofing
- Licensed & insured We match you with contractors who hold current licensing and cover.
- Know what to ask Every page says what decides the price, so you can judge a quote.
- Free to use We never charge you. Compare quotes and walk away at any point.
- Same-day reply Inquiries answered the day they arrive, usually within a couple of hours.
How it works
Three steps, no obligation at any of them.
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1
Call and tell us what is wrong
Describe the problem and give us your ZIP code. We match you with a chimney company covering your area — there is nothing to fill in and nothing to pay us.
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2
A local contractor gets in touch
A local chimney company contacts you to discuss the problem and arrange a visit in Somerville. What they charge to attend or diagnose is theirs to set, so agree it with them up front.
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3
You decide
Book the work, wait a season, or get a second quote. There is no obligation to go ahead with the contractor we introduce you to, and nothing to pay us either way.
What these repairs look like
Illustrative examples of the work described here. More in our disclaimer.
Chimney Flashing Repair in Somerville
Two things shape chimney work in Somerville: the age of the building stock, and what the weather does to masonry that has been standing in it for decades. The chimney is rarely the thing that changed — what changed is usually what vents into it.
About 61% of homes in Somerville were built before 1940 — old enough to have been built with radiators and no ductwork at all; 70% of them heat with natural gas, so oversized flues left behind by an earlier fuel are the recurring finding here. (US Census ACS 2022)
Coordinating with the roof
The best moment to redo chimney flashing is while the roof is open. The worst outcome is a roofer laying new covering over old flashing to save time, which is common and which guarantees a leak within a few years.
If a reroof is coming
Raise the chimney detail before the roofing contract is signed, and establish who is responsible for the flashing. Split responsibility is how it ends up done badly by whoever gets there last.
Telling flashing from crown
Flashing leaks appear with wind-driven rain and often stop in ordinary showers. Crown leaks appear whenever it rains. A hose test working upward in sections separates them before anyone starts work.
Two layers, not a bead of sealant
Correct flashing is two separate metal layers. Step flashing is a series of L-shaped pieces woven in with the roof courses as they climb the side of the chimney. Counter-flashing is a second layer let into a groove cut in the mortar joint and folded down over the step flashing, so water running down the masonry is thrown clear of the joint.
What is very often there instead is roof cement troweled across the junction. It looks like a repair for a season, then it shrinks and cracks. Any quote describing the fix as sealing or caulking the joint is describing a patch.
The reglet is what lasts
Counter-flashing must be cut into the mortar, not stuck to the surface. Surface-mounted metal held with sealant fails when the sealant does. A reglet cut, the metal wedged and the joint pointed lasts as long as the roof.
Slate changes everything
On slate, slates have to be carefully lifted and relaid rather than nailed through, and a broken slate becomes the next leak. Copper is the usual metal because it will outlast the roof. This is a genuinely skilled job and not every roofer does it well.
The full guide: everything about chimney flashing repair — how the job works, what decides the price, and the questions worth asking before you book — is on the service page. This page covers what is different about it in Somerville.
Areas we cover in Somerville
We work throughout Somerville, including the areas around Arlington, Assembly Square, Cambridge / North Cambridge and Cammeray Galley.
Chimney Flashing Repair in Somerville — FAQs
My Somerville house is pre-war — what does that change?
About 61% of housing in Somerville predates 1940, and chimneys of that age behave differently. Many were built before flue tile was standard, so the flue is brick and mortar joints with no lining at all. Most have also changed fuel at least once without being resized. And the masonry itself is softer than anything made now, which means modern hard mortar does more harm than good on it. A camera survey is the only way to know which of those apply.
Nothing vents into our chimney any more. Does it still matter?
Less urgently, but yes. An uncapped disused flue collects rain, leaves and nesting for years with nobody noticing, and water sitting inside it damages the structure from within. If the chimney is genuinely finished with, removing it above the roofline and roofing over is a legitimate option. If anything at all still vents into it — a water heater in particular — then it matters as much as it ever did.
What chimney problem is most common around Somerville?
Shared stacks where one unit's appliance change leaves a neighbor's flue wrongly sized. That pattern is regional rather than universal — boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline and the inner ring. It is worth knowing before you book, because it tells you what someone should be looking hardest at here.
How much does chimney work cost in Somerville?
It depends entirely on what the chimney turns out to need, and the spread is wide. Sweeping, an inspection, a cap or a damper repair are the inexpensive end and are usually done in one visit. Relining, rebuilding above the roofline and full crown recasting are the expensive end. Nobody can quote it honestly over the phone, which is why the inspection comes first. The contractor you are introduced to sets their own prices and agrees them with you directly.
Do you cover all of Somerville?
Yes — all 3 ZIP codes in Somerville and the surrounding towns. Tell us where you are and we put you in touch with a company that covers it.
How quickly can someone get to me in Somerville?
For a routine inspection or sweep, usually within a few days, and sooner outside the fall rush. Late spring through early fall is the quiet season and the easiest time to book. If you have had a chimney fire, or you can smell gas or have a carbon monoxide alarm sounding, that is not a scheduling question — leave the building and call emergency services from outside.
Can flashing just be sealed?
As a stopgap before proper work, yes. As the repair, no — sealant over a flashing joint is the most common failed chimney repair there is.
How long should flashing last?
Copper will outlast the roof. Aluminum gives decades. Sealant gives two or three years.
Neighborhoods we cover in Somerville
Chimney work across Somerville and the areas around it.
- Arlington
- Assembly Square
- Cambridge / North Cambridge
- Cammeray Galley
- Charlestown
- Flat Rock Creek
- Medford / South Medford
- Northbridge Plaza
- Spring Hill / Central
- Teele Square
- Ten Hills
- Tufts University / Medford
- Tunks Park
- Union Square
- Willoughby Leisure Centre
Other chimney services in Somerville
- Chimney Inspection
- Chimney Sweeping
- Chimney Relining
- Chimney Masonry Repair
- Chimney Crown Repair
- Chimney Cap Installation
- Chimney Waterproofing
- Chimney Damper Repair
- Fireplace Repair
- Chase Cover Replacement
- Smoke Chamber Parging
- Historic Chimney Restoration
- Coastal Chimney Protection