The most common causes we see in Foster are damaged flashing, cracked chimney crowns, and missing or damaged chimney caps. Rhode Island’s freeze-thaw cycles are particularly hard on these components, and Providence County gets hit with some of the worst weather patterns. Flashing is the metal seal where your chimney meets your roof, and it takes a beating from our weather. When it cracks or pulls away from thermal expansion and contraction, water flows right into your house. We see this constantly in Foster homes, especially those built in the 80s and 90s when flashing installation wasn’t as robust. Chimney crowns crack from temperature changes, and once water gets into those cracks, it freezes and makes them worse every winter. Missing chimney caps are like leaving your front door open during a rainstorm—rain goes straight down your flue, and you’ll see water in your fireplace or smell that musty odor that means moisture is getting where it shouldn’t be.