Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints and sealed at the joint.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Glen Ridge, NJ
A Glen Ridge 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. Call (862) 357-6041 to reach a local roofer.
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.
Proper chimney flashing has four main parts. The front gets an apron, the sides get step flashing, the back gets a pan or cricket, and counter flashing tucked into the brick seals the top of it all. 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.
Depending on what the roofer finds, chimney flashing repair in Glen Ridge, NJ can go hand in hand with flashing repair and roof leak repair.
Need chimney flashing repair in Glen Ridge? Call (862) 357-6041 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Glen Ridge.
Call nowThe process
The chimney flashing process
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.
Strip the old flashing
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. The step flashing is nailed to the roof deck only, never to the brick.
Install the back pan
Behind the chimney, a metal back pan or a framed cricket keeps water and debris from piling up. Wide chimneys need a cricket under most residential codes.
Seal the top edge
Counter flashing is let into a ground-out mortar joint and sealed, overlapping the base flashing below. The overlap allows movement while keeping water out.
What is included
What chimney flashing repair covers
Cricket installation
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side and covered with metal or membrane and shingles.
Decking repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out while the area is open.
Apron flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face with counter flashing over it.
Step flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Glen Ridge, NJ
Full replacement of chimney flashing is the answer when the existing pieces are rusted, missing or held on by caulk. If the original flashing was installed incorrectly, more sealant cannot correct the lapping. Replacement is also the natural time to add a cricket if the chimney lacks one.
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 Glen Ridge, NJ
Chimney leak repair starts by finding out whether water comes through the flashing or through the chimney itself. 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.
When water comes through the chimney, the repair moves up above the roof. 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
Around Glen Ridge, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. Across Glen Ridge and nearby communities including East Orange, North Arlington, Caldwell and Clifton, the chimney type decides the fix: masonry needs counter flashing cut into the brick, and a framed chase needs step flashing behind the siding, which is why the roofer starts by looking at how the chimney is built.
For chimney flashing repair in Glen Ridge, NJ or nearby towns like East Orange, North Arlington, Caldwell and Clifton, call (862) 357-6041 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
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. That is why roof repair in Glen Ridge is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Roofers who know Glen Ridge
Roofers in Glen Ridge know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
A leak that continues after new flashing usually comes from the chimney itself. Rain soaks through porous brick or a cracked crown and runs down inside the chimney. Condensation in an unlined or oversized flue can also cause damp spots. A call to (862) 357-6041 is a good next step.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
A single loose section of counter flashing can be reset without replacing everything. Flashing that was installed wrong or has rusted through needs to be replaced, not resealed. More sealant over a failing system buys a little time at best.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket is a small ridge framed on the upslope side of a chimney. 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.
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. 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 are the signs of a chimney flashing leak?
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. Call (862) 357-6041 to have a roofer check it.
More questions? Call (862) 357-6041
Other services that may help
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Repairing step, counter, kickout, valley and drip edge flashing where roofs meet walls and edges, so water runs onto the shingles instead of into the wall.
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Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
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Pinpointing where water actually enters a roof, even when the stain is far away, before anyone tears into the wrong part of the roof.
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Spot repairs for wind, hail and age damage on an asphalt shingle roof, matched to the shingles already on the house.
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Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Glen Ridge roofer about chimney flashing repair
Call (862) 357-6041 for a local roofer in Glen Ridge and nearby towns.