HomeRoof and Chimney Flashing in Sioux Falls
Chimney and roof flashing in Sioux Falls
Flashing is the metal that seals a roof at its joins: the chimney, the walls, the valleys and every vent pipe. Here is where each piece sits, why Sioux Falls winters work it loose, when a chimney needs a cricket, and whether a new roof should get new metal.
Where does a roof leak around flashing?
At the joins. Each kind of flashing guards one of them:
- Step flashing. Short bent pieces woven in with each row of shingles where the roof runs up a wall or the side of a chimney. One shingle maker’s bulletin asks for pieces at least 5 inches up the wall and 5 inches onto the roof.
- Counterflashing. The metal set into the chimney or wall that laps down over the step flashing.
- Chimney flashing. Step and counterflashing on the sides and, behind a wide chimney, a cricket.
- Valleys. The trough where two roof slopes meet. Model code wording quoted in city handouts says to line them by the shingle maker’s written instructions.
- Pipe boots. The collar around each plumbing vent. One building magazine priced a replacement boot at $20 to $30 for the part alone.
- Kick-out flashing. A small bent piece that turns water away from the wall where a roof edge runs into it.
- Drip edge. Metal along the eaves and gable edges, covered with what goes under the shingles.
The same handouts quote the model code calling for flashing wherever a roof meets a wall, and for step flashing against a sidewall.
Why do Sioux Falls winters loosen flashing?
Water gets behind it and freezes. Sioux Falls averages about 97 days a year with a high above freezing and a low at or below it, a count from NOAA daily records for 1991 to 2020.
Ice dams add to it. Meltwater backs up behind the ice at the eave and works under whatever sits there, and the step flashing and chimney flashing near the bottom of the roof are in its path.
So ask how the flashing near the eaves ties into the ice barrier, which Sioux Falls requires at the roof edge. One maker’s vent warranty excludes damage from ice damming above the flashings. For the cause and the lasting fix, read what causes ice dams here.
We found no independent study of how flashing fails in freeze-thaw. Cracked sealant and nails backing out come up in contractor talk, and nobody we read has measured them.
Does my chimney need a cricket?
Yes, if it is more than 30 inches wide, under the model code wording quoted in city handouts. A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked roof built on the uphill side of the chimney so water runs around it.
The 30 inches is measured across the slope, side to side. The cricket is covered in sheet metal or the same material as the roof. Skylights put in by the maker’s instructions are exempt.
We could not read the 2024 code text, and the city’s posted amendment is a draft with blank adoption dates. Confirm the rule with Sioux Falls Building Services at 605-367-8670.
Should old flashing be reused on a new roof?
Only if it is essentially undamaged. One shingle maker’s technical bulletin recommends replacing all metal flashing on a reroof whenever possible. Rust, corrosion, scoring, tears or damage from the tear-off rule a piece out.
The same bulletin wants a qualified person to judge whether the old metal will last as long as the new shingles. A second bulletin from that maker accepts small 4 by 4 inch step flashing only with a 36 inch leak barrier along the joint between wall and roof.
Reroof wording from the model code, quoted in city handouts, points the same way: damaged or deteriorated flashing gets replaced. A trade magazine adds a tip for next time. Nail step flashing to the roof deck only, never the wall, so the next roofer can pull it.
New step flashing is the safe default. Ask that the quote say which flashing is new and which is reused, and read what happens on replacement day.
Do I need kick-out flashing?
It is good practice. We found no South Dakota rule that requires it.
Minnesota writes it into its amended residential code. There a kick-out goes wherever the eave of a sloped roof meets a sidewall, in metal at least 0.019 inch thick with a roof leg of 2.5 inches or more. Minnesota requires it when a house is re-sided, and not when only the roof is redone.
A U.S. Department of Energy Building America brief says to fasten and seal the kick-out to the roof deck, not the wall. If new siding is on your list too, read about siding and a new roof together.
What does chimney flashing repair cost?
National cost guides disagree, and none gives a Sioux Falls figure.
One national guide puts chimney flashing replacement at $450 to $2,500, with mid-range jobs at $1,000 to $1,800. Others give $275 to $1,450, or $2,000 to $5,000 for a full replacement. The metal moves the price: copper costs most, then stainless steel, galvanized steel and aluminum.
On a full reroof, one quote platform’s Sioux Falls page lists chimney flashing at about $200 extra. It shows no method. A measured quote is the firm number, and what a replacement costs here covers the rest of the bill.
Questions about chimney and roof flashing in Sioux Falls
Can chimney flashing be repaired instead of replaced?
Sometimes. One shingle maker’s bulletin allows reuse only of flashing that is essentially undamaged, with no rust, tears or scoring, and recommends new metal on a reroof whenever possible.
How much does it cost to replace chimney flashing?
National guides run from $275 to $5,000 and disagree with each other. We found no Sioux Falls figure for flashing alone, so get a measured quote.
When does a chimney need a cricket?
When it is more than 30 inches wide across the slope, under model code wording quoted in city handouts. Confirm with Sioux Falls Building Services at 605-367-8670.
Is kick-out flashing required in South Dakota?
We found no South Dakota rule requiring it. Minnesota’s amended code requires it where a roof eave meets a sidewall when a house is re-sided.
Get a free flashing repair quote
Tell us about the job, with a photo of the chimney or the stain, and a local roofing contractor will call, text or email to set up a visit. The quote is free.