Water Diversion

Chimney Cricket Geometry: Solving the Stagnant Water Trap

On larger homes in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, wide chimneys often act as a dam for rainwater. When a chimney is wider than 30 inches, code requires the installation of a "cricket." This is a peaked, tent-like structure built behind the chimney to divert water toward the roof slopes. Without a properly pitched cricket, water pools at the rear masonry, eventually leading to capillary action where moisture is sucked upward into the brickwork and interior framing.

Prevailing Wind and Debris

In Tidewater, crickets also serve a secondary purpose: clearing organic debris. With our high pine needle counts, a flat area behind a chimney quickly becomes a compost pile that holds moisture against your roof deck. A steep-pitched cricket ensures that every rainfall acts as a "power wash" for your roof’s drainage channels.

Materials Science

Galvanic Corrosion: Why Mixed Metals Destroy Norfolk Roofs

One of the most frequent installation errors we see in Portsmouth and Norfolk involves the mixing of incompatible metals. When copper flashing touches an aluminum gutter or galvanized steel nail, a chemical reaction called galvanic corrosion occurs. In the presence of salty coastal air, this process accelerates, causing the less noble metal to literally dissolve over time. This leads to "invisible leaks" that only appear during heavy driving rain.

Passivation and Protection

At Aquashield, we strictly utilize stainless steel fasteners and high-grade aluminum or lead-free flashing components. By ensuring all metal interfaces are chemically compatible, we prevent the rust streaks and structural thinning that plague homes near the Norfolk Naval Base and Willoughby Spit.

Hydraulics

Surface Tension and Drip Edges: Protecting the Fascia Board

Water doesn't always follow gravity; it often follows surface tension. Without a properly installed metal drip edge that features a "kick-out" flange, rainwater will wrap around the edge of your shingles and track directly onto your wooden fascia boards. In the humid Hampton Roads climate, this leads to fascia rot long before the shingles themselves fail. A code-compliant drip edge ensures water breaks its tension and falls cleanly into the center of the gutter.

The "High-Wind" Drip Edge

For homes near the oceanfront, we recommend a heavy-gauge T-style drip edge. This provides extra rigidity to the perimeter shingles, preventing wind gusts from getting underneath the edge of the system and starting a peel-back failure during a Nor'easter.