FAQRoof

Who should be responsible for my roof when I have a new chimney installed?

Some of our customers over the years have expressed concern about cutting a hole in the roof of their house to install a new chimney system. This concern is understandable since no one likes the idea of a hole in their roof. However, it is common practice to cut a hole in a roof or a wall in order to allow the passage of a chimney pipe.

At the Cracker Mill we install many chimney systems every year and most of these chimney systems are installed in completely finished, and furnished, homes. When a chimney is installed in a newly constructed home it is usually the responsibility of the builder to see that the roof flashings are properly sealed to protect the new home from the weather outside. But when the builder is done and the homeowner takes occupancy who then is responsible for the roof if a chimney is installed?

Well, that's an easy one, you say. The company who installs the chimney is responsible, of course! And you are correct - to a point. It is the responsibility of the installing company to make sure the flashing is properly installed and sealed from the weather. The chimney flashing will prevent any weather from getting into the house when properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. However, in some cases the simple application of the chimney flashing is inadequate to ensure a long-term solution for the roof materials surrounding the flashing. This usually comes up when pre-existing conditions on the roof do not allow the use of normal procedures when installing the flashing.

The Cracker Mill will not be responsible for pre-existing roof conditions

When the Cracker Mill encounters a roof that is already in an abnormal condition we will usually be able to finish the installation of the chimney and, in many cases, we will be able to make some adjustments when installing the flashing so that the roof will remain weather-proof for at least several weeks or months. But the Cracker Mill will not take responsibility for a roof leak when the roof is already in poor or abnormal condition. In these cases it is the homeowner's responsibility to follow up with the necessary roof repair work to ensure a long-lasting weather-proof seal.

What roof conditions are considered “poor” or “abnormal”? Most of the time when we face a roof challenge it is due to the age and condition of the roof shingles. If the roof shingles split or tear when we try to lift them to place the flashing we will not continue with the shingle removal and will instead place the flashing on top of the shingles and seal with a roofing cement sealer. This is a temporary seal and should be corrected as soon as possible by a qualified roofing contractor.

Sometimes the outside temperature contributes to a poor reaction from the roof shingles. This is especially true when the roof is too hot. In hot weather we usually will not proceed to open the roof and instead we will re-schedule the installation for cooler weather. In extremely cold temperatures the shingles are brittle and many times cannot be lifted without damage. We will also try to reschedule when the weather is extremely cold. But when we do work in marginal weather we will inform you of the possibilities and give you the choice of whether to proceed or not. If further work needs to be done to the roof around the flashing it will be the homeowner's responsibility to hire a roofing contractor after the chimney is installed.

We have seen roofing work in the area where we will be installing a chimney and flashing that is almost impossible to repair properly without the tools, equipment, and skill usually reserved for a professional roofer. Sometimes an amateur repair job done before we arrive, maybe even before you owned the house, will prevent us from using the normal shingle and flashing procedures and will require a temporary seal until a professional roofer can be called in to fix the condition. If an area of the roof has already been patched, or has an existing flashing from a previous chimney, we may not be able to properly seal your roof. As the homeowner you will be responsible for the pre-existing conditions and should call a roofer after we have finished installing your chimney to come in behind us and make the needed roofing repairs.

Special roofing materials may require help from specialty roofing company

Roofing materials such as composite rubber, tiles, slate, wood, grass, copper, or other materials will require the services of a professional roofing company. The Cracker Mill will not be responsible for any of these roofing types. We use standard flashings meant for use with common asphalt shingles and a few specialty flashings meant for use with metal roofing. Any roofing materials not suitable for our standard flashings, will require the services of a professional roofer. In some cases, we may be able to sub-contract the roofing work with a competent roofing company. In most cases, you will be able to call the roofing company yourself and make arrangements for them to make sure your roof is sealed. It may also be possible to schedule a roofer to be on-site on the same day of our installation.

We take the flashing of your chimney seriously

If we're not going to take responsibility for sealing the roof than why hire us to install the chimney in the first place? To be clear, we do take the sealing of the roof flashing seriously. In most cases we are able to install the flashing on your roof and weave your shingles around the flashing so that not only does the flashing keep the weather out but it looks pleasing to the eye.

We are professional chimney installers and we know how to install roof flashings properly and we try hard to make sure we do a good job that will keep the weather out for many years. We simply believe that the homeowner needs to take the primary responsibility for pre-existing roof conditions and not expect the Cracker Mill to provide professional roofing services. We will inform you when we believe your roof will need the services of a professional roofer and we will encourage you to call a professional roofing company to finish sealing your roof.

Can we call the Cracker Mill if we have a leak?

Sometimes it is coincidence that your roof springs a leak soon after we have been on your roof installing your new chimney. On rare occasions it may be directly attributable to our work. If you see a leak at or near your new chimney you should call us immediately so we can double-check our work and make sure that our flashing is sealed.

In case you notice a leak we will take responsibility to quickly schedule a time to visit and double-check the flashing around the chimney. After all, we are human and we cannot assume the leak is not coming from our work until after we double-check. However, if after we have double-checked our work we determine that the leak is not coming from our flashing we will ask that you call a roofing company to troubleshoot your leak. Chances are the leak is not directly caused by the chimney and flashing.

If the professional roofer should find an error in our work we will be glad to contribute a reasonable amount toward the roofers charges to make the repair. It must be proven that the leak is directly caused by the new chimney flashing and not some pre-existing condition. Also, we will only allow for a limited time to double-check and troubleshoot roof leaks that you suspect may be coming from your newly installed chimney. The Cracker Mill will not be responsible for leaking flashings beyond a few months. A change in seasons should be sufficient time to determine that the roof flashing is sealed. Continued and ongoing maintenance of the flashing will be the responsibility of the homeowner.

For further information about our standard roof flashings and our standard installation practices please consult a sales representative or one of our technicians.

The Staff at the

Cracker Mill Hearth & Emporium