A roof cricket? You may be asking yourself: What is a roof or chimney cricket? Read on!
Roof systems involve many complex angles, seams, and roofing materials that direct water off your structure. Various protrusions, like chimneys, can trap water on your roof, causing shingle damage and costly repairs. Luckily, a roof cricket can prevent this from happening.
Continue reading below to learn more about roof crickets and why you may need one. If you decide you need a cricket installation, call our team at Gotcha Covered Contracting in Pittsburgh, PA, today at 724-581-8147.
We specialize in installing the right materials to match any home’s needs throughout Pittsburgh, PA, and the surrounding cities, including Allison Park, Cranberry Township, and Wexford.
What Is a Roof Cricket?
A roof cricket is a triangular structure built behind a chimney to direct pooled water off the rest of the roof. A chimney cricket typically has a few sloped sides that split water streams apart, so they can continue flowing down the slope of the roof. The chimney cricket can seamlessly integrate into your chimney flashing system for maximum water resistance.
On flat roofs, crickets prevent water from pooling in a single place. If your chimney doesn’t already have a cricket, we can start by building the wooden structure before coating it in your preferred materials.
Not having a chimney cricket could be one of the reasons your home has roof leaks near your chimney.
Roof Cricket Materials
Many homeowners choose to match their chimney crickets to their roofing materials. For example, if you have an asphalt roof, we can use the same shingles to coat your cricket and make it less noticeable.
We recommend upgrading to a metal or membrane material, like PVC or rubber, for improved durability. Because chimney crickets must constantly divert water, you should consider which option offers the best weatherproofing. Shingles may look nicer, though metal often performs better.
What Do Roof Crickets Do?
Roof crickets protect your home in many ways. The system’s main purpose is to divert water, which offers many benefits.
Water is your roof’s enemy. If rain penetrates your materials, they may rot, grow mold and algae, and decay. In the winter, water buildups can create ice dams that expand the roof and damage the structure from within.
Increased moisture and humidity can also cause shingles to blister and pop. An inadequate weatherproofing system decreases your roof’s lifespan and leads to expensive repairs and replacements.
Roof crickets help you avoid many of these issues. You can prevent moisture retention or penetration by pushing water off your roof’s surface as quickly as possible. Roof crickets improve your roof’s performance and longevity.
Do You Need a Roof Cricket If You Have a Chimney?
We recommend that all homes with chimneys install a roof cricket. Aside from durability purposes, you may also need a cricket to meet building codes and pass inspection.
The International Building Code mandates that any chimneys over 30 inches wide have a cricket perpendicular to the roof’s slope. You can check your chimney’s width by measuring the side parallel to the edge. If your chimney intersects with any angled edges of your roof, you may not need to follow this code, though we recommend speaking with our contractors first.
Slope Requirements
Chimney crickets also must meet roof slope requirements. Generally, the angle should match or exceed your roof’s slope. You can achieve this by following these cricket height dimensions:
| Roof Angle | Cricket Height |
| 12:12 slopes | Half of the chimney’s width |
| 8:12 slopes | One-third of the chimney’s width |
| 6:12 slopes | One-quarter of the chimney’s width |
| 4:12 slopes | One-sixth of the chimney’s width |
| 3:12 slopes | One-eighth of the chimney’s width |
Understanding these requirements can feel challenging. Luckily, you can leave the specifications up to us. We’ll handle all measurements to ensure that your home meets the code.
If You Need a Roof Cricket, We’ve Gotcha Covered
Many older homes have chimneys without crickets because the codes only began in 2012. If you have a chimney without the proper diversion materials, we recommend installing a cricket now before your roof suffers further water damage.
At Gotcha Covered Contracting, we can install the roof cricket, repair any issues, or replace your entire system if you want a fresh start. Contact our team in Pittsburgh, PA, today at 724-581-8147 to schedule an inspection.
