When should lead flashing be replaced?
Short answer. Replace lead flashing when it is split, cracked, chewed, lifted out of its mortar joint, or patched with sealant that keeps failing, and replace lead pipe jacks whenever the roof is replaced. Lead itself lasts for decades, so on Georgia homes the trigger is usually physical damage, squirrels, or the shingles around it wearing out, not the metal reaching the end of its life.
Where you find lead on Georgia roofs
- Lead pipe jacks: a lead sleeve over a plumbing vent, folded down into the pipe.
- Chimney counterflashing and aprons: mostly on older brick chimneys.
- Older homes and porches: flashing at wall transitions and dormers.
Signs it needs replacing
- Chewed lead: squirrels gnaw lead pipe jacks, leaving holes and jagged edges, one of the most common lead failures in wooded Georgia neighborhoods.
- Fatigue cracks: lead expands and contracts with heat, and long pieces fastened too tightly crack along folds and fixings.
- Lifted counterflashing: pulled out of the mortar joint by settling, wind or eroded mortar.
- Splits at the pipe fold: the folded edge of a lead jack can split and let water run down the pipe.
- Thin spots or holes: old lead worn thin where water drips onto it.
- Repeated sealant patches: a sign the piece underneath has failed.
Lead again, or something else?
Lead is still valued for its flexibility, but many roofers replace lead pipe jacks with silicone or rubber-collar boots, or with lead jacks fitted with protective caps against squirrels. Chimney counterflashing can be redone in lead, copper, coated aluminum or prepainted steel. Wash your hands after handling lead, and never sand or burn it.
Timing
Replacing a single pipe jack is a small repair. Chimney lead is a bigger job, because the shingles around the chimney come off and new counterflashing is cut into the mortar. If the roof is due for replacement soon, do it then. See pipe boot leaks and chimney leaks and crickets.