Side flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles one piece per course.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Fanwood, NJ
A roofer in Fanwood can stop most chimney leaks by replacing the flashing where the chimney meets the roof: step flashing along the sides, counter flashing cut into the mortar, an apron at the front and a back pan or cricket behind, with a cricket behind wide chimneys to keep water from piling up. Dial (908) 663-5020 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
The joint between a chimney and the roof is one of the most leak-prone spots on any house. 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.
A correctly flashed chimney uses a system, not a single piece. 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. Counter flashing is the piece that most often fails or is skipped, replaced by surface-mounted metal and a bead of caulk.
Not every leak around a chimney is a flashing leak. Leaks that continue after new flashing often trace back to the crown, the cap or the brick itself. A roofer checks the flashing and can point out masonry problems that need a mason.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Fanwood also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Looking for Fanwood chimney flashing repair? Call (908) 663-5020 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Fanwood.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
Chimney flashing is rebuilt from the bottom up, like the rest of a roof.
Check the joint
Every side of the chimney is checked, along with the masonry above the roof and the decking around the opening from the attic. A hose test on one side at a time can confirm the source.
Clear the joint
Old flashing and sealant come off, and the shingles next to the brick are lifted or removed. Soft or rotted decking around the chimney is replaced at this stage.
Set the apron
After a self-adhered membrane wraps the base of the chimney, the apron goes on the downhill face and step pieces are woven up both sides with new shingles. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Build a cricket
On the uphill side, a back pan or saddle is fitted, and on wider chimneys a cricket is framed to split the water around it. Wide chimneys need a cricket under most residential codes.
Set counter flashing
Counter flashing is let into a ground-out mortar joint and sealed, overlapping the base flashing below. Set into the brick, it lasts far longer than metal glued to the face.
What is included
What chimney flashing repair covers
Front flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face lapped over the shingles below.
Counter flashing
Cap flashing is cut into the masonry so it overlaps the step flashing.
Decking repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed so the shingles have solid nailing.
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys which stops one of the most common chimney leaks.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Fanwood, NJ
Chimney flashing replacement makes sense when the metal is rusted, the counter flashing is only glued to the brick or the joint has been tarred over several times. If the original flashing was installed incorrectly, more sealant cannot correct the lapping. Adding a cricket during replacement solves the uphill pooling at the same time.
Not every flashing metal suits brick. Copper is a long-lasting choice for counter flashing, while aluminum needs protection from contact with lime in the mortar. The roofer can explain the options that suit your chimney.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Fanwood, 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. Hose testing each side and then the chimney top separately settles the question.
If the masonry is the source, the fix may involve the crown, the cap or the brick. Typical fixes are crown repair, a new cap and repointing of open mortar joints, sometimes followed by a vapor-permeable masonry water repellent. A roofer can point out these problems while checking the flashing.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Fanwood come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. Homes in Fanwood and nearby towns like Westfield, Plainfield, Watchung and Mountainside range from older houses with full masonry chimneys to newer ones with framed chases wrapped in siding, which are flashed more like a sidewall, so expect the roofer to ask which type is on your house.
Need chimney flashing repair around Fanwood? Call (908) 663-5020 for a Fanwood roofer who serves the towns around it too.
Roofs in this climate
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, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Fanwood, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Fanwood know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
Is it possible to just reseal chimney flashing?
Minor problems such as a loose counter flashing piece can be refastened into the mortar. When the metal is rusted, missing pieces or was never installed correctly, replacement is the lasting fix. More sealant over a failing system buys a little time at best.
What are the signs of a chimney flashing leak?
Look for damp spots near the chimney after rain, both in the house and in the attic. Inside the attic, water trails on the brick or framing are another clue. On the roof, rusted metal, loose counter flashing and heavy tar are warning signs. A roofer reached at (908) 663-5020 can find the source.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
The flashing belongs to the roof, so a roofer is the right call for it. Cutting the counter flashing into the mortar joint is part of that job. If the crown, cap or brick is damaged, a mason handles that part.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked structure built behind a chimney on the uphill side. It splits the water and debris coming down the roof and sends them around the chimney instead of letting them pile up against the brick. Most residential codes call for one behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches.
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
Water can still get in through the top or sides of the chimney. A cracked crown, a missing cap, open mortar joints or porous brick can let water travel down inside the masonry to the roof line. Condensation in an unlined or oversized flue can also cause damp spots. Call (908) 663-5020 to have the source traced.
More questions? Call (908) 663-5020
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Looking for something else?
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Call (908) 663-5020 for a local roofer in Fanwood and nearby towns.