Counter flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick and sealed at the joint.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Garfield, NJ
A Garfield roofer can rebuild the flashing around a leaking chimney so the joint between brick and shingles sheds water on its own, so the leak does not come back next season. One call to (551) 348-2856 reaches a nearby roofer who handles chimney flashing.
Few places on a roof leak as often as the gap around a chimney. 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. That is why a single strip of metal glued to the brick with sealant does not last.
Each side of a chimney gets its own kind of flashing. 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.
Water near a chimney can also come through the chimney itself. Leaks that continue after new flashing often trace back to the crown, the cap or the brick itself. A careful look covers both the flashing and the visible masonry above it.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Garfield roofer may also recommend flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Dealing with this in Garfield, NJ right now? Call (551) 348-2856 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
Here is how a roofer typically handles chimney flashing.
Check the joint
Before anything comes off, the roofer checks the flashing, the brick, the crown and the wood around the chimney. That separates true flashing leaks from water coming through the chimney itself.
Clear the joint
Shingles around the chimney are removed along with the old flashing, tar and caulk. Soft or rotted decking around the chimney is replaced at this stage.
Add step 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.
Handle the back side
The upslope side gets a saddle or, for wide chimneys, a small peaked cricket that sheds water to both sides. Without one, a wide chimney acts like a dam.
Set counter flashing
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
Apron flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face lapped over the shingles below.
Decking repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed so the shingles have solid nailing.
Side flashing
Step pieces up both sides of the chimney are replaced nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Cricket installation
Water and debris are steered around the chimney so water cannot pond against the brick.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Garfield, 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. It is also the right moment to add a cricket or back pan.
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. Ask which metal the roofer plans to use and why.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Garfield, NJ
A chimney can leak at the roof line or from the top down, and the fix is different for each. A leak that keeps going after the rain ends often means water stored in the masonry is draining out. A careful water test, one side at a time, can tell the two apart.
If the masonry is the source, the fix may involve the crown, the cap or the brick. 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. The roofer can spot many of these from the roof and tell you who should fix them.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
In Garfield, many chimney flashing problems show up on homes with wide brick chimneys and no cricket behind them. Across Garfield and nearby communities including Lodi, Elmwood Park, Wallington and Passaic, the chimney type decides the fix: masonry needs counter flashing cut into the brick, and a framed chase needs step flashing behind the siding, so it helps to know which kind you have when you call.
For chimney flashing repair in Garfield, NJ or nearby towns like Lodi, Elmwood Park, Wallington and Passaic, call (551) 348-2856 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Garfield
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. 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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Garfield, 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 Garfield and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
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 (551) 348-2856 to have the source traced.
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. Adding more tar on top only delays the next leak.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
A roofer handles the flashing, because it has to be woven into the roof. Cutting the counter flashing into the mortar joint is part of that job. Damage to the crown, brick or mortar beyond that is masonry work.
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. From the attic, stained rafters and decking around the brick confirm water is getting in. Outside, look for loose or rusted flashing and old sealant patches. A roofer reached at (551) 348-2856 can find the source.
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 diverts runoff, leaves and snow to each side so they do not collect behind the chimney. Wide chimneys need one under most building codes.
More questions? Call (551) 348-2856
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Looking for something else?
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Call now for Garfield chimney flashing repair and help in the towns around it.