Chimney leaks are the #1 cause of interior water damage in Greater Cincinnati homes. Most roofers seal flashings with caulk that fails in 3–5 years. We solder every flashing — the old-school tin man technique that creates a true, permanent metal-to-metal bond.
If water is staining your ceilings, running down your fireplace, or soaking your attic insulation near the chimney, the flashing is almost certainly to blame. Chimney flashing is the metal system that seals the joint between your chimney masonry and your roof — and it's one of the most failure-prone spots on any home.
Here are the four most common causes we find on every job in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Southern Indiana:
Individual L-shaped metal pieces run up the sides of your chimney between each course of shingles. When these rust or corrode — common in Ohio River valley humidity — water finds every gap immediately. No amount of sealant patches a rusted-out metal joint.
The counter flashing is embedded in the chimney mortar joints and laps over the step flashing. Over time, mortar cracks and the counter flashing separates from the masonry, opening a direct path for water to run straight down behind your walls.
The previous roofer used caulk. It looked fine for a year or two — maybe three. Then it dried, shrank, and cracked. Now every rain event pumps water into your home. Caulk is not a flashing solution. It's a temporary patch that guarantees a callback.
Many homes were never flashed correctly to begin with. Cut corners at the original build — missing step flashing, no saddle behind wide chimneys, flashing nailed through instead of integrated — mean the clock was ticking from day one. The only fix is doing it right.
Here's what separates Great American Roofing from every caulk-and-go roofer in the Cincinnati area: we solder all of our flashings. This is old-school tin man craftsmanship combined with modern flashing technique — and it's genuinely rare in the industry today.
When you call a typical roofer about a chimney leak, they apply a roofing sealant or caulk at every seam and joint. It looks good on the day they leave. Two summers later, the caulk has baked, contracted, and cracked — and you're calling someone again.
Great American solders every seam. Solder flows into the joint and fuses the metal together at a molecular level. You're not relying on an adhesive that dries out. You're relying on a true metal-to-metal bond — the same method that's been used by skilled tin men for over a century, and still the gold standard for watertight flashings today.
Shane has been soldering flashings for nearly three decades. It takes more time, more skill, and the right equipment — which is exactly why most roofers don't do it. When you hire Great American Roofing, you're getting a craftsman who treats your chimney flashing the way it should have been treated the first time.
We don't patch over the problem. We remove everything and do it right — from the underlayment up. Here's exactly what you get with a Great American chimney flashing repair:
Almost certainly because the previous repair used caulk. Caulk-based chimney flashing repairs are the most common callback in roofing. Caulk dries, shrinks, and cracks — especially through Cincinnati's freeze-thaw cycles, where temperatures swing from single digits in January to 95°F in July. The caulk opens up, water gets in, and you're right back where you started. The only permanent fix is to remove the old flashing entirely and start over with properly installed, hand-soldered metal flashing.
Caulk is an adhesive sealant — it sits on the surface and relies on its adhesion to stay stuck. Solder is a metal alloy that flows into the joint and fuses with the base metal when it solidifies. A soldered seam is part of the flashing itself, not something applied on top of it. It cannot dry out, crack, or fall away. Properly soldered chimney flashing can last the life of your roof — 20, 30, even 40 or more years — without requiring resealing. This is why old-school tin men used to solder everything, and why Great American still does.
Cost depends on the size and complexity of your chimney — a small single-flue chimney with straightforward step flashing is less work than a wide, double-chimney with a cricket. We provide a free inspection and honest written estimate before any work begins. If financing helps, we offer 0–5% interest financing with terms up to 15 years — a proper chimney repair is an investment that protects your home's structure and interior finishes. Call us at (513) 886-5730 to schedule your free inspection.
Most chimney flashing repairs are completed in a single day — typically 4 to 8 hours depending on the chimney size, the extent of damage, and whether a cricket (chimney saddle) is needed. We remove the old flashing, set the underlayment, fit and install new metal flashing, and solder every seam before we leave. We don't start a job we can't finish properly in one visit.
Yes. We stand behind our work. Because we solder all flashings rather than using caulk, our repairs are built to last — and we back that with a workmanship warranty. Specific warranty terms are provided in writing with every job. If you have any issue after we've completed your chimney flashing repair, call us and we'll make it right. After 29 years serving Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Southern Indiana, our reputation is worth more than any shortcut.
We'll inspect your chimney flashing, show you exactly what's failing, and give you an honest estimate — no pressure, no hidden fees. Soldered repair or we'll tell you why it needs something else.
We'll be in touch within one business day to schedule your free chimney inspection.