This Langley chimney was leaking, and like a lot of chimney leaks, the problem was the flashing, not the chimney. The original pan flashing was installed wrong from the start.
Why the chimney was leaking
The back pan flashing was too short. Instead of carrying water out over the tiles, it let water run onto the underlay, which is not built to handle that for long. On top of that, none of the pan flashings had a containment lip bent into them, so there was nothing to keep water from running off the sides.
What we did
We removed the old flashing and lifted the tiles around the chimney. The wood battens had to be replaced before anything new went on.
Then we installed new pan flashing on the back and the sides, this time bent with a proper containment lip so the water stays where it should and drains out over the tiles.
The result
With the new flashing sized right and a containment lip on every piece, the water is controlled and carried out over the tiles instead of soaking the underlay. We set the tiles back and the chimney was watertight again.
Most chimney leaks are the flashing, not the chimney
If your chimney is leaking, it is usually the flashing around it, not the chimney itself. Pan flashing has to be long enough to carry water out over the tiles, and it needs a containment lip so water cannot run off the sides. When it is cut short or left flat, it leaks, no matter how good the chimney looks.
If you have a stain near a chimney or a known chimney leak, get the flashing checked. We repair chimney flashing and concrete tile roofs across Greater Vancouver and serve Langley and the surrounding area. Call 778-389-5564 for a free estimate.