Step flashing
Step pieces up both sides of the chimney are replaced nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Rockaway, NJ
A Rockaway roofer can rebuild the flashing around a leaking chimney so the joint between brick and shingles sheds water on its own, with a cricket behind wide chimneys to keep water from piling up. Dial (862) 421-0113 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. Masonry and wood framing expand, shrink and settle at different rates, which is why chimney flashing is built in two parts that can slide past each other. 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.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Rockaway roofer may also recommend flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Looking for Rockaway chimney flashing repair? Call (862) 421-0113 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Rockaway.
Call nowThe process
What happens during chimney flashing repair
Chimney flashing is rebuilt from the bottom up, like the rest of a roof.
Inspect the chimney
Every side of the chimney is checked, along with the masonry above the roof and the decking around the opening from the attic. That separates true flashing leaks from water coming through the chimney itself.
Remove old metal
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.
Install the base flashing
A membrane underlayment goes around the chimney, then the front apron and the side step flashing are installed with the shingles. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Build a cricket
Behind the chimney, a metal back pan or a framed cricket keeps water and debris from piling up. Building codes call for a cricket behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
Seal the top edge
Counter flashing is let into a ground-out mortar joint and sealed, overlapping the base flashing below. That two-part design lets the chimney and roof move without tearing the seal.
What is included
What chimney flashing repair covers
Cricket installation
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side so water cannot pond against the brick.
Cap flashing
Cap flashing is cut into the masonry and sealed at the joint.
Decking repair
Rotted decking around the chimney opening is replaced before the new flashing goes in.
Front flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face to shed water onto the roof.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Rockaway, NJ
Replacing the flashing outright is the better choice when patches keep failing or the metal has corroded. If the original flashing was installed incorrectly, more sealant cannot correct the lapping. It is also the right moment to add a cricket or back pan.
Chimney flashing has to tolerate mortar and moisture for decades. Copper and lead-coated copper last a very long time and form neatly to brick, galvanized steel is durable when painted, and aluminum should be coated or kept out of direct contact with mortar, which can corrode it. Ask which metal the roofer plans to use and why.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Rockaway, NJ
Leaks around a chimney have two main sources: the flashing at the roof and the masonry above it. Water that appears only in hard rain at the base points to flashing, while a slow leak that lingers after rain hints at soaked brick or a cracked crown. A careful water test, one side at a time, can tell the two apart.
When water comes through the chimney, the repair moves up above the roof. Crown cracks, open joints and missing caps are repaired by a mason, and a breathable sealer can cut down how much water the brick absorbs. Those repairs are often done alongside new flashing so the whole leak is solved.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Rockaway come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. From Rockaway out to neighboring towns such as Dover, Wharton, Mountain Lakes and Morris Plains, 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.
Need chimney flashing repair around Rockaway? Call (862) 421-0113 for a Rockaway roofer who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a roof
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Rockaway, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Rockaway and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
Water can still get in through the top or sides of the chimney. 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 (862) 421-0113 to have the source traced.
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.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Look for damp spots near the chimney after rain, both in the house and in the attic. 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 (862) 421-0113 can find the source.
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
Chimney flashing is roofing work, since it ties into the shingles, underlayment and step flashing. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
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. Another coat of tar is a short-term patch.
More questions? Call (862) 421-0113
Related services
Flashing Repair
Repairing step, counter, kickout, valley and drip edge flashing where roofs meet walls and edges, with new metal instead of another layer of caulk.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, before wet decking and insulation turn into rot.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Tracing hidden roof leaks with attic checks, moisture meters, hose testing and infrared scans, before anyone tears into the wrong part of the roof.
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
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Call (862) 421-0113 to talk to a roofer serving Rockaway, NJ.