Chimney, flue cap & pipe collar repair in Opelousas & Lafayette

Chimneys, flues and plumbing vents are where water finds its way in. We repair and seal them so the rest of your roof can do its job.

If the flashing is cracked or missing it can lead to leaks and water damage. Replacing damaged flashing may be a short-term fix if the overall roof is in poor condition, and we will tell you if that is the case.

Every hole in a roof is a place water can get in: the chimney, the flue, plumbing vent pipes, exhaust fans and other vents. Each one is sealed by a collar or by flashing, and those seals wear out long before the shingles around them do.

We inspect each penetration on the roof, checking the rubber or metal collars on vent pipes, the step and counter flashing around the chimney, the flue cap, and the chimney crown where we can see it. In the attic, we look for stains and wet wood around each pipe and along the chimney. We take photos of what we find.

You get a detailed written estimate with transparent pricing and no hidden fees. Then failed collars, flashing and caps are replaced with new materials, worked in under the shingles the way they were meant to be, and we clean up before we leave. If we see a problem in the chimney itself beyond the roof line, we tell you.

• Inspection of every pipe, vent, flue and chimney on the roof
• Attic check for stains around each penetration
• Photos and a written estimate
• New pipe collars, flashing and flue caps where needed
• Shingles reworked around each repair
• Clean-up of the work area

Leaks around penetrations often show up in predictable places inside the house. Watch for these:

These repairs are usually small when caught early. A collar or flashing leak left for a few seasons can rot the decking around it and turn a simple fix into a bigger repair.

• Ceiling stains near a bathroom, the kitchen or the chimney
• Cracked, split or brittle rubber around vent pipes
• A gap you can see between a pipe and its collar
• Rusted, bent or loose flashing around the chimney
• Flashing held on with nothing but caulk or roofing tar
• A missing or rusted flue cap
• Birds, squirrels or debris in the flue
• Water or rust inside the fireplace

We install materials from GAF, CertainTeed and Owens Corning on the roof around every repair. The collars, flashing and caps are chosen for the job:

• Pipe collars, also called pipe boots: rubber-sealed collars that slide over plumbing vents, with sturdier metal and silicone options that stand up better to sun
• Step flashing: individual metal pieces woven in with each course of shingles along the sides of a chimney
• Counter flashing: metal set into the chimney's mortar joints that covers the top of the step flashing
• Chimney crickets: a small peaked frame behind wider chimneys that splits water around them instead of letting it pool
• Flue caps: metal caps with screened sides that keep rain, animals and debris out of the flue

Long, hot Louisiana summers are hard on rubber. Years of heat and ultraviolet light dry out pipe collars until they crack, often while the shingles around them still look fine. That is why cracked collars are among the most common leaks on homes from Opelousas to Lafayette.

Afternoon thunderstorms and hurricane season, from June 1 to November 30, drive rain hard against the uphill side of a chimney, right where flashing has to work hardest. Humidity keeps that water from drying, and squirrels are known to chew on rubber collars.

Live oaks and pines add leaves and needles that pile up behind chimneys and around vent pipes, holding water against the seal. A quick check of every penetration before hurricane season is one of the simplest ways to prevent a leak.