Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys which stops one of the most common chimney leaks.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Succasunna, NJ
A Succasunna roofer can rebuild the flashing around a leaking chimney so the joint between brick and shingles sheds water on its own, and check whether the crown or brick is part of the problem. Dial (862) 453-8001 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
A chimney is a large masonry box punched through the roof, and sealing around it takes several pieces of flashing working together. 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. An apron covers the downhill face, step flashing pieces weave in with the shingles along both sides, a back pan or cricket handles the uphill side, and counter flashing set into the mortar joints laps down over everything. 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.
Before replacing flashing, it helps to know whether the chimney above the roof is letting water in. Brick and mortar absorb rain, and a cracked crown or open joints can let water travel down through the masonry to the roof line. Sorting out which one is leaking avoids paying for the wrong repair.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Succasunna also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Need chimney flashing repair in Succasunna? Call (862) 453-8001 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Succasunna.
Call nowThe process
The chimney flashing process
The work follows the path water takes, front to back.
Find the source
Before anything comes off, the roofer checks the flashing, the brick, the crown and the wood around the chimney. If the masonry is clearly the source, the roofer will say so.
Strip the old flashing
The roofer removes the existing metal, layers of tar and the nearby shingles. 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.
Handle the back side
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.
Cut in the counter flashing
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
Chimney flashing parts
Rot repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out so the shingles have solid nailing.
Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints so it overlaps the step flashing.
Side flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Front flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron to shed water onto the roof.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Succasunna, 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. 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. Matching the metal to the masonry avoids early corrosion.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Succasunna, 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. 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. Those repairs are often done alongside new flashing so the whole leak is solved.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Succasunna, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. Across Succasunna and nearby communities including Ledgewood, Flanders, Landing and Netcong, 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 expect the roofer to ask which type is on your house.
Need chimney flashing repair around Succasunna? Call (862) 453-8001 for a Succasunna roofer who serves the towns around it too.
Roofs in this climate
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, 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 Succasunna is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Succasunna and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
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. 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 (862) 453-8001 can find the source.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
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.
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
When new flashing does not stop the leak, the masonry is the usual suspect. Open joints, spalling brick and a damaged crown all let water in above the flashing. In some cases, condensation inside the flue is the cause. Call (862) 453-8001 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. Flashing that was installed wrong or has rusted through needs to be replaced, not resealed. Adding more tar on top only delays the next leak.
Why does my chimney need a 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. Wide chimneys need one under most building codes.
More questions? Call (862) 453-8001
Other services that may help
Flashing Repair
Repairing step, counter, kickout, valley and drip edge flashing where roofs meet walls and edges, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Pinpointing where water actually enters a roof, even when the stain is far away, with a clear answer on roof leak versus condensation.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Shingle by shingle repairs that keep a sound roof in service, before a small gap turns into a leak.
Learn more
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