Side flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles one piece per course.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Mountainside, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in Mountainside come from the flashing, and a roofer can fix them with new step and counter flashing set into the brick instead of tar, and check whether the crown or brick is part of the problem. Dial (908) 728-6030 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
Few places on a roof leak as often as the gap around a chimney. The brick and the roof framing move independently as the house settles and seasons change, so the seal between them has to allow for movement. Any flashing that is rigidly glued to both the brick and the roof tends to crack loose within a few years.
Proper chimney flashing has four main parts. Along the front sits a one-piece apron, step pieces run up each side with the shingles, a saddle or cricket diverts water behind, and counter flashing ground into the mortar covers the top edges. The counter flashing is where shortcuts usually show up: instead of being cut into the mortar, it is glued to the face of the brick.
Water near a chimney can also come through the chimney itself. A cracked crown, a missing cap, porous brick or failed mortar joints can soak the masonry, and the water then runs down inside the chimney and shows up exactly where a flashing leak would. Sorting out which one is leaking avoids paying for the wrong repair.
Chimney Flashing Repair is often paired with flashing repair and roof leak repair, depending on the cause.
Need chimney flashing repair in Mountainside? Call (908) 728-6030 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
The work follows the path water takes, front to back.
Check the joint
The roofer looks at the flashing on all four sides, the mortar joints, the crown and cap and the attic framing around the chimney. That separates true flashing leaks from water coming through the chimney itself.
Clear the joint
Old flashing and sealant come off, and the shingles next to the brick are lifted or removed. Rotted sheathing next to the chimney is cut out and renewed.
Install the base flashing
Ice and water shield goes down first, then the apron across the front and step flashing up each side, one piece per shingle course. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Handle the back side
The upslope side gets a saddle or, for wide chimneys, a small peaked cricket that sheds water to both sides. Building codes call for a cricket behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
Set counter flashing
A groove is cut into the mortar, and the counter flashing is set into it, either in one piece or stepped to follow the slope. That two-part design lets the chimney and roof move without tearing the seal.
What is included
What chimney flashing repair covers
Front flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron with counter flashing over it.
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys which stops one of the most common chimney leaks.
Counter flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick instead of caulked to the face.
Rot repair
Rotted decking around the chimney opening is replaced before the new flashing goes in.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Mountainside, NJ
Replacing the flashing outright is the better choice when patches keep failing or the metal has corroded. Patching a system that was installed wrong rarely works, because the problem is in how the pieces overlap. Adding a cricket during replacement solves the uphill pooling at the same time.
Chimney flashing has to tolerate mortar and moisture for decades. Lime in mortar corrodes bare aluminum, so copper, coated steel or coated aluminum are common choices. The roofer can explain the options that suit your chimney.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Mountainside, NJ
Leaks around a chimney have two main sources: the flashing at the roof and the masonry above it. Flashing leaks show up during rain at the roof line, often worse on the uphill side, while masonry leaks can appear on any side and may continue for a while after the rain stops as soaked brick drains. Testing the flashing and the masonry separately pins down the source.
When water comes through the chimney, the repair moves up above the roof. A cracked crown needs sealing or rebuilding, a missing cap lets rain straight down the flue, and porous brick can be treated with a breathable water repellent made for masonry. Those repairs are often done alongside new flashing so the whole leak is solved.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
In Mountainside, many chimney flashing problems show up on homes with wide brick chimneys and no cricket behind them. From Mountainside out to neighboring towns such as Westfield, Summit, New Providence and Garwood, older brick chimneys tend to need counter flashing reset into worn mortar, while newer framed chases more often leak at the chase top or siding joint, so expect the roofer to ask which type is on your house.
Searching for chimney flashing repair near me from Mountainside or Westfield, Summit, New Providence and Garwood? Call (908) 728-6030 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a roof
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Mountainside is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Roofers who know Mountainside
Roofers in Mountainside know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Water marks beside the chimney inside the house are the usual first clue. In the attic, wet or dark framing around the chimney opening points the same way. On the roof, rusted metal, loose counter flashing and heavy tar are warning signs. A roofer reached at (908) 728-6030 can find the source.
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
A leak that continues after new flashing usually comes from the chimney itself. Open joints, spalling brick and a damaged crown all let water in above the flashing. Condensation in an unlined or oversized flue can also cause damp spots. Call (908) 728-6030 to reach a roofer.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
Small issues, like counter flashing that has pulled out of its mortar joint, can be reset and resealed. Flashing that was installed wrong or has rusted through needs to be replaced, not resealed. Another coat of tar is a short-term patch.
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
Chimney flashing is roofing work, since it ties into the shingles, underlayment and step flashing. Setting the counter flashing into the brick is routine for roofers who do this work. Damage to the crown, brick or mortar beyond that is masonry work.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket is a small ridge framed on the upslope side of a chimney. Water flowing down the slope hits the cricket and is steered around both sides. Codes generally require one once a chimney is wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
More questions? Call (908) 728-6030
Other services that may help
Flashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Pinpointing where water actually enters a roof, even when the stain is far away, so the repair goes in the right place the first time.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Replacing missing, creased or cracked shingles, resealing lifted tabs and fixing popped nails, before a small gap turns into a leak.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Mountainside roofer about chimney flashing repair
Call (908) 728-6030 to talk to a roofer serving Mountainside, NJ.