Flashing, Chimney & Skylight Repair in Portland, OR

Flashing, Chimney & Skylight Repair in Portland: Where Water Finds Its Way In

If you own a home in Portland, you already know the rain does not come all at once. It comes for six months straight, soft and steady from October to May, and it probes every seam, every collar, every transition on your roof. Flashing, Chimney & Skylight Repair in Portland is the work that stops that water at the exact points where it tries to get in. We bend and fit metal flashing around chimneys, skylights, valleys, dormers and wall transitions, and we fabricate it in-house so it matches your roof pitch and your panel profile instead of being forced into place.

Portland roofs take a specific kind of punishment. Craftsman bungalows in Irvington and Sellwood have brick chimneys that have been settling for a hundred years, and the flashing at the base of those chimneys pulls away a little more each season. Mid-century ranches across Lents and Milwaukie have low-slope skylights that were never stepped properly to begin with. Standing seam roofs in Beaverton and Happy Valley collect fir needles in the pan, and the water backs up under the skylight curb. The leak almost never starts where the stain shows up on the ceiling.

We handle the whole repair: tearing off failed sealant, cutting back the old metal, bending new flashing to fit, and re-sealing with materials that are meant to last in wet, cool weather. If you are already chasing a leak, start with our metal roof leak repair service and we will trace it to the flashing detail that is actually failing. Call (971) 754-2587 and we will get eyes on it before the next front rolls in.

Why Flashing Fails First on Portland Roofs Once the Fall Rains Arrive

Flashing is the number one leak point on Portland roofs, and it is not close. The roofing field itself, whether standing seam, metal shingle or stone-coated steel, usually holds up fine. What fails is the metal at the edges: the chimney counterflashing, the skylight curb, the step flashing where a porch roof dies into a wall, the valley metal under the tree litter. Portland's cool-season rain does not flash-dry the way a summer thunderstorm does. It sits, it wicks, and it finds every gap in a bead of old caulk.

Then you add the trees. Douglas firs, bigleaf maples and western red cedars hang over roofs in the West Hills, Eastmoreland and the older neighborhoods, and they drop needles and leaves that dam water behind chimneys and skylights. Moss and algae build on the shaded north slopes. When the east winds come out of the Columbia Gorge or an ice storm drops a limb, the flashing takes the hit.

• Chimney counterflashing pulls out of the brick mortar joint as the chimney settles and the sealant ages out.
• Skylight curbs crack at the corner welds and let water run down the inside of the frame.
• Step flashing at dormers and wall transitions corrodes or gets buried under a later layer of shingles.
• Valley metal rusts through where needle litter holds moisture against the steel.
• Pipe boots and vent collars dry out and split on the sunny south slopes by late summer.

Every one of these is a small, targeted repair if you catch it early, and a ceiling, insulation and drywall job if you do not. Roofing permits and inspection requirements vary by jurisdiction across the metro, so we always confirm the rules with the local building department before work starts. You can check the City of Portland's permit information at portland.gov/bds/permits.

Key info: A homeowner in Laurelhurst called us in November after a water stain spread across a second-floor ceiling. The culprit was a chimney that had settled about three quarters of an inch over decades, opening a gap behind the counterflashing. We re-bent the flashing and reset it into a new mortar reglet instead of smearing caulk over the gap. That is the difference between a repair and a callback.

How We Repair Flashing, Chimneys and Skylights on Portland Metal Roofs

We do not guess at a leak. We get on the roof, find the actual entry point, and fix the detail that is failing. Because we bend flashing in-house, we can match the gauge, color and profile of your existing metal instead of ordering a piece that almost fits. That matters on standing seam, where a skylight curb has to mate cleanly with the panel ribs, and on older corrugated and R-panel roofs on barns and workshops out toward Forest Grove and Sherwood.

1. We inspect the roof and attic together, because the stain on the ceiling rarely sits directly under the gap in the flashing.
2. We remove the failed sealant, old flashing and any rotted underlayment or sheathing so the new work lands on solid material.
3. We measure the pitch, panel profile and penetration, then bend new flashing to fit the exact geometry of your roof.
4. We install the flashing with proper laps and mechanical fastening, not a caulk-only seal, and integrate it with the existing panels or shingles.
5. We water-test the repair before we leave and photograph the finished detail for your records.
6. We document everything for insurance purposes if storm damage is involved, though coverage decisions always rest with your carrier.

If your roof is in the 97204 area or anywhere in the central city, you can see how we handle this work on our Portland 97204 flashing and skylight repair page.

Key info: A daylight ranch in Multnomah Village had two skylights that leaked every fall. The original installer had run the curb flashing flat instead of stepping it, so water pooled at the back edge. We rebuilt both curbs with stepped flashing and a proper cricket, and the ceiling has stayed dry through three winters since.

Repair Approaches We Use for Chimneys, Skylights and Transitions

Not every flashing problem calls for the same fix. The right approach depends on the penetration, the roof material and how much of the surrounding assembly has failed. Here is how we match the method to the job.

Whichever approach your roof needs, the goal is the same: a metal-to-metal or metal-to-masonry detail that sheds water instead of relying on a bead of sealant to hold it back.

Flashing, Chimney & Skylight Repair Cost in Portland: What to Expect

Most flashing repairs in Portland start around $600 and go up from there. A single pipe boot or a small step flashing repair at a dormer sits near that starting point. A chimney counterflashing reset with a new reglet cut into the mortar runs higher because of the masonry work. A full skylight curb rebuild with a cricket can run into the low four figures, especially on a steep roof in the West Hills where access and staging take time.

What moves the number: how many penetrations are involved, the roof pitch and height, whether the sheathing or underlayment underneath has rotted, the roof material (standing seam and copper take more careful fabrication than corrugated panel), and how accessible the chimney or skylight is from a ladder or whether we need to set up staging. Emergency calls after a storm cost more than a scheduled repair, the same as any trade.

Get two or three estimates before you commit. A contractor who will not get on the roof to look at the flashing, or who quotes a caulk-only fix without addressing the metal, is not solving the problem. You can see how our pricing is structured on our metal roofing pricing page.

What to Look for When Hiring a Metal Roofing Contractor Near Me in Portland

Flashing work is small enough that almost anyone will quote it, and that is exactly why you need to check. A bad flashing repair looks fine until the first hard rain, and by then the contractor may be gone. Here is what to verify before you sign.

• Confirm the contractor is licensed and insured in Oregon and ask for the certificate, not just a verbal yes.
• Get at least two or three written estimates and make sure each one names the specific flashing detail being replaced.
• Ask for references from jobs in your part of the metro, ideally on the same roof type you have.
• Ask who pulls the permit if one is required, and confirm the work will be inspected where the local building department requires it.
• Check HOA and historic district design rules before any visible metal or color change, especially in older neighborhoods.

Reach us through our contact and free estimate page or call (971) 754-2587.

Flashing, Chimney & Skylight Repair in Portland: Pricing Guide

Indicative pricing, the exact cost depends on square footage, finish, and site access. Free personalized estimate within 24h at (971) 754-2587.