AskCodeMan

Does a chimney sixteen inches wide require a cricket? Thanks in advance. Bernie Martin

The International Residential Code (known as the IRC) only requires a cricket if the chimney or other obstruction (such as a skylight) is greater than 30 inches wide.

At 16 inches wide, it would be a good idea to install a cricket, but it is not required.

Jerry, Thanks for your quick reply. I neglected to give you all the details. This chimney is on the outside of a house that has been raised. The chimney will pass thru the overhang and is on the outside edge of the roof. Won't the cricket divert some of the water right off the edge of the roof? Thanks again for your reply. Bernie Martin

Hi Bernie,

BernMart wrote:The chimney will pass thru the overhang and is on the outside edge of the roof. Won't the cricket divert some of the water right off the edge of the roof?

Regardless where the chimney is in the roof, the same width requirement applies.

The only difference in water run off is at the chimney is that the higher up the roof the chimney is located, the less water there is at the upper edge of chimney, and the lower down the roof the chimney is located, the more water there is reaching the chimney as there is more roof surface area above the chimney which is shedding water down toward the chimney.

The codes do not address the chimney's location within the roof surface area, the codes only address the width of the blockage to the flow of water.

Thank-you Jerry, talk to you soon. Bernie Martin

I was wondering if there is a product out there that can slip under shingles and act as a cricket?
If there isn't one lol.... patent pending.

Thanks,

Jarrod.

Jarrod wrote:I was wondering if there is a product out there that can slip under shingles and act as a cricket?

I am not aware of a product as such, and there are too many variations in chimney widths, materials, roof coverings, etc., to make it practical to produce a product and have it try to be a one-size-fits-all product. Especially when any decent roofing/sheet metal contractor can easily and readily make one for their specific roof.