Chimney Leak Repair: $200 to $3,500 by Source (Fixr 2026)

Chimney leak repair cost at a glance. National figures from four guides, shown as published and not averaged.

When is a chimney leak urgent?

• Call now: water is running down a wall or into the firebox during rain, or a ceiling near the chimney is bulging. Forbes Home lists bulging ceilings among the signs of failed chimney flashing. Move belongings, put down a bucket, and keep people out from under a sagging ceiling.
• This week: a fresh stain on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney, damp mortar, or rust streaks on the outside of the chimney. Angi lists all three as signs the flashing has failed.
• Can wait for a dry spell, but do not ignore it: a musty attic smell or dark insulation near the chimney. Forbes Home lists both among the signs of failed chimney flashing, and CSIA says water damage to chimneys is usually a slow process that is easy to ignore until it becomes serious.
• Stay off the roof. The CDC reports that more than 500,000 people are treated and about 300 die from ladder injuries in the U.S. each year. Look from the ground with binoculars and from inside the attic.

Which part of the chimney is leaking? Match the clue to the part

A chimney leaks through one of five places, and each is fixed by a different trade at a different price. Where the water shows up inside is the best clue you have, so write down where it appears, how fast, and whether it comes with every rain or only with wind from one direction.

Clues from Angi's and Forbes Home's lists of chimney flashing failure signs, HomeGuide's chimney warning signs and CSIA guidance. Prices are national.

CSIA, the chimney sweeps' certification body, says water causes more damage to masonry chimneys than fire. That is why a stain that appears once a year is still worth tracing. If the stain is well away from the chimney, the water may be entering elsewhere on the roof; roof leak repair and leak detection cover finding it.

How much does chimney flashing repair cost in 2026?

Angi's September 2026 guide puts chimney flashing repair or replacement at $1,000 on average, with most homeowners spending $400 to $1,600 and large or stone chimneys running upward of $2,000. A simple reseal can cost as little as $200. Forbes Home gives the same $400 to $1,600 span for replacement, with the top end for complicated jobs and double chimneys. HomeGuide's roof repair guide gives a lower figure for flashing repair alone, $200 to $850, and Fixr's leak guide puts a chimney leak from any cause at $200 to $3,500.

• Step flashing: $400 to $600 (Angi and Forbes Home).
• Continuous flashing: $800 to $1,000 (Angi and Forbes Home).
• Metal, per linear foot: steel about $0.50, aluminum about $0.75, copper $2 to $3 (Angi). The metal is a small part of the bill; labor and roof access are most of it.
• Labor: Angi says masons and chimney sweeps average $75 an hour; Forbes Home gives $25 to $175 an hour.

Forbes Home says flashing generally lasts 15 or 20 years. A reseal with a tube of caulk, which Angi prices at around $10, buys time on flashing that is otherwise sound. It is not a fix for flashing that is rusted through, loose or missing.

Chimney flashing repair: what a proper job includes

The Mason Contractors Association of America's Masonry Magazine describes the standard detail: step flashing inserted under the shingles along the sides, and stepped counterflashing that comes out of the chimney walls and turns down over the step flashing. It says the vertical legs should be caulked with a construction sealant and that the flashing should be metal, preferably copper, galvanized steel or stainless steel. It calls leaving the flashing out and relying on sealant inferior workmanship.

When you compare quotes, the question is whether the roofer is cutting new counterflashing into the mortar joints or only sealing over the old metal. A quote that says only "seal chimney" is a reseal. The roof flashing repair page covers flashing at walls, vents and skylights.

Does a chimney need a cricket? The 30-inch rule

A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked roof built on the uphill side of a chimney so water splits around it instead of pooling against the brick. GAF, the shingle maker, calls it a triangular structure that diverts water around a chimney or other protrusion. Angi says pooled water behind a chimney can seep into seams, flashing and shingles, and that ice dams form after snow when moisture pools behind a chimney and refreezes; see ice dam removal.

The residential code makes it a requirement on wide chimneys. Section R1003.20, as printed in the 2025 California Residential Code, which is based on the International Residential Code, says chimneys shall have crickets where the dimension parallel to the ridgeline is greater than 30 inches and the chimney does not intersect the ridgeline. The roof chapter's R903.2.2 calls for a cricket on the ridge side of any chimney more than 30 inches wide. The code also says where the cricket meets the chimney it must be flashed and counterflashed like any roof to chimney joint. Its table sets the cricket's height by roof pitch:

Table R1003.20, 2025 California Residential Code (IRC-based), via GoCodeBook. Local codes can be stricter; Angi notes Denver's rule applies regardless of roof slope.

Adding one costs far more on its own than during a reroof. Angi puts a cricket at $700 to $1,000 as part of a full roof installation and upward of $1,500 as a one-off on an existing roof. GAF says a cricket typically adds $300 to $1,000 to a full roof replacement. If your roof is near the end of its life and the chimney is over 30 inches wide, ask for the cricket on the roof replacement quote.

Chimney crown repair: why cracked crowns leak

The crown is the slab on top of a masonry chimney, around the flue. Code R1003.9.1 says masonry chimneys need a concrete, metal or stone cap with a drip edge and a caulked bond break around the flue liners, sloped to shed water. Masonry Magazine explains why: a drip edge keeps water from streaming down the chimney walls for long periods, and the crown should not be bonded to the flue tile but leave a clear 3/8 to 1/2 inch opening around it. CSIA says crowns should project beyond all sides by two inches and favors a cast crown with an expansion joint over a sand and mortar wash. Masonry Magazine says trowel-applied mortar crowns are prone to cracking and coming loose.

Small cracks can be sealed; Angi and HomeAdvisor price minor crown repair at $150 to $350, HomeGuide at $200 to $700 and up, and Fixr at $750 to $1,000. A crown that is crumbling, or was built without the overhang and drip, is a candidate for replacement, at $1,000 to $3,000 in Fixr's and HomeGuide's guides. The chimney repair cost guide covers liners, tuckpointing and rebuilds.

Chimney cap: keeping rain out of the flue

Water dripping into the firebox or a rusted damper often means rain is falling straight down the flue. CSIA says a well-designed cap will keep out rainwater, along with birds and animals. Angi's April 2026 guide puts cap replacement at $300 on average, with a range of $190 to $650, from about $75 for a basic galvanized steel cap to $1,000 for custom copper. It says to replace a cap that is missing, severely rusted, cracked or warped, while loose screws or small holes can often be repaired for $50 to $150. On a chimney serving a wood fireplace or stove, code R1003.9.2 requires an approved spark arrester.

When the brick itself leaks: waterproofing and tuckpointing

Brick and mortar soak up water. CSIA says common brick is like a sponge, absorbing water and wicking moisture to the chimney interior, and that defective mortar joints make it worse. Fixr says mortar generally lasts 20 to 30 years. Fixr prices chimney waterproofing at $150 to $500 and HomeGuide at $150 to $820 and up; tuckpointing, which replaces worn mortar joints, runs $500 to $2,500 in Fixr's guide. Brick faces that have already flaked off, called spalling, are a bigger job, which HomeGuide puts at $1,000 to $3,500 for spalling brick. Waterproofing goes on after the mortar is repaired, not instead of it.

Roofer or chimney mason: who fixes a chimney leak?

Forbes Home says roofers primarily install flashing, while masons install it as part of building a chimney or as specialized repair work, and Angi's flashing guide recommends a roofing professional. Angi's chimney repair guide recommends a masonry contractor for chimney repairs and a sweep for cleaning. In practice the split looks like this:

• Roofer: step flashing, counterflashing, a cricket, and the shingles and decking around the chimney.
• Mason: the crown, cracked or flaking brick, mortar joints and waterproofing.
• Chimney sweep: the cap, the flue and an inspection. CSIA says weather events are an indicator that a Level 2 inspection, which includes a video scan of the flue liners, is warranted.

Some roofers subcontract masonry and some masons do flashing. Ask each company which parts its own crews do. If the leak has already wet drywall or insulation, ceiling water damage repair covers the inside work.

Questions to ask before you book a chimney leak repair

• Which part is leaking, and how did you confirm it: a water test, photos from the roof, or the attic?
• Does the price include new counterflashing cut into the mortar, or only sealant?
• Is my chimney wider than 30 inches, and if so, does it have a cricket?
• Will you photograph the crown and cap while you are up there?
• Where my state licenses roofing or masonry, what is your license number, and can I see proof of insurance? Our roofing license by state table lists the rules we checked.

Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job; hours vary. How calls work.

Leaking chimney: what to do now

1. Put a bucket or towels under the drip and move furniture and rugs away from the chimney wall.
2. Photograph the stain or drip and note the date, the rain and the wind direction.
3. Look in the attic with a flashlight for wet wood or insulation around the chimney.
4. Stop using the fireplace if water is reaching the firebox or damper until someone has checked it.
5. Look at the chimney from the ground for missing flashing, a missing cap or a cracked crown. Do not climb up.
6. Call with what you found, and ask whether the visit fee covers a water test.