Chimney Cricket Installation
A chimney wider than about 30 inches on the down-slope side of a roof acts like a dam: rain and debris pile against its uphill face, and eventually the standing water finds a way in. The cricket is the small roof structure that un-dams it.
A small roof that saves a big wall
A cricket (or saddle) is a peaked diverter framed behind the chimney’s uphill side, splitting the water flow around the stack instead of against it. Code requires them on wide chimneys for good reason — most of the rotted chase framing we repair on big DFW fireplaces traces to a missing cricket.
Framed, flashed, and tied in right
We frame the cricket, deck it, weave the step flashing into both roof planes, and counter-flash into the chimney — then shingle to match. Done properly it disappears into the roofline and the uphill face of your chimney stays dry for the life of the roof.
The Chimney Visit
- Framed and decked diverter structure
- Step and counter flashing on both planes
- Shingle match to the existing roof
- Debris-dam elimination behind wide stacks
- Pairs with flashing repair where leaks began
Common Questions
My roofer never mentioned a cricket. Do I need one?
If your chimney is over 30” wide measured across the slope and water stains the uphill side, very likely yes. We’ll measure and tell you straight — including when you don’t need one.
Can a cricket be added without redoing the roof?
Yes — it ties into the existing shingles around the chimney. The work zone is the chimney’s uphill face, not the whole plane.
Ready When You Are
Specific appointment times, honest written quotes, and 0% financing on bigger jobs. One crew for your chimney and fireplace.