Orlando’s rainy season has a median start of late May, and the heaviest rain arrives June through September in afternoon sea-breeze storms (NWS Melbourne). During Hurricane Ian the airport logged 12.49 inches of rain in 24 hours (Spectrum News 13). That’s the backdrop for most leak repairs here.
Every way water gets into a chimney
- Flashing at the roof-to-chimney junction, often disturbed at a reroof; see step and counter-flashing repair
- The crown, cracked or with no overhang; see a rebuilt crown
- No cap, or a damaged one, letting rain straight down the flue; see capping the flue
- Chase covers and storm collars on framed chases; see chase cover sealing and repair
- The brick and mortar, absorbing wind-driven rain through open joints
Why Orlando chimneys let water in
On a low-slope roof water sheds slowly, so the flashing and any cricket behind the chimney matter more than on a steep roof. In newer neighborhoods such as Baldwin Park, the same stain inside usually traces to a chase cover or storm collar instead.
Where this page applies
This page covers the City of Orlando. Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips and Hunters Creek have their own area pages.
How the entry point is found
Map the symptom
Where the water shows up, after what kind of rain, and how long after it starts.
Check inside first
Firebox, damper and, where accessible, the attic around the chimney.
Check the top and the roof line
Crown, cap or chase cover, storm collar, flashing and the masonry or siding.
Isolate if needed
Water is run on suspect areas one at a time to confirm which one leaks.
Repair that point
Then watch the next heavy rain to confirm it’s dry.
Leaks that start after a reroof
Many chimney leaks begin the season after a new roof. If the old flashing was reused, cut short or only caulked instead of being properly set into the chimney, the first wind-driven storm finds it.
Some flashing leaks are roofing work and some are chimney work, so tracing tells you which trade you need. See reroofing and chimney flashing and how flashing leaks show up.
Water now, damage later
A leak left for years turns into masonry damage: eroded joints, spalling brick, rusted dampers and rotted chase framing. Once that has happened, the job includes the local repair service as well as stopping the water, and a top-to-bottom chimney check shows how far it has gone.
Leak repair across Orlando
Leak tracing and repair are available anywhere in Orlando, including Delaney Park. When you get in touch, say where the water shows up and in what kind of weather. For the rest of the house, see chimney, fireplace and vent work in Orlando. The same service covers service for leaking chimneys in Winter Park, Maitland chimney leak repair and leak diagnosis and repair in Eatonville.
Other repairs that may apply: masonry water repellent.
Background reading: how chimney leaks are diagnosed and white stains on chimney brick.
References (3)
Where the Orlando numbers and code references come from.
