Flashing cement or repointing for roof leak through brick

I had my roof completely redone last fall. It’s mostly flat roof with a small pitched slate section in the front.

There’s this section of brick sticking up above the slate roofline that used to be covered in flashing cement. When they redid the roof, they tore off the flashing cement. They did an ok job of flashing with copper but it doesn’t cover nearly as much brick as it used to.

I’ll attach before and after photos.

Anyway now it’s leaking around there and the roofer thinks it’s the brick. I do too, the pointing is pretty crumbly there. Despite their “12 year warranty” and the fact that they ripped my flashing cement off, they want to charge $2.6k to cover that brick and the chimney with flashing cement.

Now I know the flashing cement would have failed eventually and I’d be in this situation anyway…

I’m pretty sure that repointing the brick is a more appropriate and longer term solution (right?) but there are a few worries: cost of course, and that the masons might use roof hooks to hang their platform, potentially damaging my new EPDM roof membrane, or damag ing my new slate roof in the process.

Has anyone else made a similar decision before? It’s such a small section of brick that both solutions feel like overkill, but I need to fix the leak… [IMG_5873](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s1/:brownstoner:nEo9:img_5873.jpeg.jpg) [IMG_4707](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s3/:brownstoner:8S1L:img_4707.jpeg.jpg)

sjdv2

in General Discussion 2 years ago

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cate | 2 years ago

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Thanks, Bobjbkln, I never knew about those and I can think of quite a few places where I can use one. (Now I just need one that can hold a putty knife for filling holes high in the stairwell, ha.)

shahnandersen

in General Discussion 2 years ago

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Or you can get a brush holder like this which screws on to an extension pole: https://www.amazon.com/Aolamegs-Multi-Angle-Extension-Ceilings-Suitable/dp/B09JWH8Q6K/ref=pd_ybh_a_sccl_1/145-0329604-1749759?pd_rd_w=EZtst&content-id=amzn1.sym.67f8cf21-ade4-4299-b433-69e404eeecf1&pf_rd_p=67f8cf21-ade4-4299-b433-69e404eeecf1&pf_rd_r=73PR1DR27Z8HV58YJZET&pd_rd_wg=JYBQd&pd_rd_r=c926326f-93da-4e36-a563-e854a11820a0&pd_rd_i=B09JWH8Q6K&psc=1

justinromeu26 | 2 years ago

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Find a brushable product. Drop a cloth over the front of that roof and get a long reach brush. Those brushes have a crook in them so you can tape it to a broom handle and reach down and paint it on. Make sure you have someone on the sidewalk below guiding people away in case you drop something.

sjdv2 | 2 years ago

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Thanks for the reply Steve. Looking around, I see lots of chimneys and parapet walls covered in flashing cement. It’s so tempting to cheap out on this.

Unfortunately it’s a tough-to-reach spot and I’ll need to reach over with a long painters extension pole to get the area covered. Will need to test this out.

Not even sure I’ll be able to find a mason who will do such a small job at the top of a facade. Maybe if I add the chimney to the project then I can get a chimney guy to do it – I’m assuming they’re accustomed to working on pitched roofs.

justinromeu26 | 2 years ago

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I might be able to help you with some of this and i have inspected a lot of roofs over the years BUT i do not consider myself a “roofer” (even though i maintain my own roof and have roofed a house for a contractor a long time ago and roofed my own shed and have hired roofers for various projects).

This is what i do not like about putting flashing cement on brick and i am pretty certain i am correct about it: 1. all you are doing is covering a problem and 2. once you start you cannot stop and 3. you must keep all of that brick covered all the way to the top and over the cap.

All of what i just said comes from a combination of some training and some observation but i have not formally discussed this with anyone who is an expert (i am going to discuss this with someone soon).

I would venture to say the leak is through the brick and it is obvious past keepers of your house had once decided that as well. I HATE covering brick with this stuff because water can get into the brick and NOT get out. In winter this leads to severe problems. Even the remaining resid ue in the pointing can lead to problems (that is why we do not paint brick). For all of these reasons, when i do a home inspection (and i am doing roof inspections as a “home” inspector; i am working on additional education and training as I write to make me a genuine commercial roof inspector) i tell my customers that if any of the flashing cement up higher (in my case mostly on chimneys) fails or cracks, they must close that damage to keep water from getting in and becoming trapped.

I also wish to tell you this: NEARLY EVERY CHIMNEY AND EVERY PARAPET WALL on every roof i have climbed on in Brooklyn has been covered in flashing cement and painted. As a home inspector i am not supposed to tell you how to do repairs. But as a homeowner and if this were my house, that flashing cement would go back up there.

I am currently working on some pretty serious roof inspection and maintenance training. I have already done some inspections and given some advice to people and if what i learn in the training differs from what i have said to anyone – be it you on here or one of these people who have paid me – i will return and edit or redact my comments.

also know, i have a thermal imaging camera and i have been using that to spot the source of leaks in ceilings.

I will be discussing situations like yours with some experts and might mention yours specifically. I do know a roofer but i have worn him out with phone calls these past months and i have to refill my favor bank before i make another call.

Steve
brownstonehomeinspection.com