Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints so it overlaps the step flashing.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Secaucus, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in Secaucus come from the flashing, and a roofer can fix them with new step and counter flashing set into the brick instead of tar, and check whether the crown or brick is part of the problem. One call to (551) 373-3020 reaches a nearby roofer who handles chimney flashing.
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. Tar and caulk alone cannot handle that movement for long.
A correctly flashed chimney uses a system, not a single piece. 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.
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.
Chimney Flashing Repair is often paired with flashing repair and roof leak repair, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Secaucus, NJ right now? Call (551) 373-3020 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
What happens during chimney flashing repair
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. If the masonry is clearly the source, the roofer will say so.
Clear the joint
Old flashing and sealant come off, and the shingles next to the brick are lifted or removed. Any decking that has gone soft from years of leaks is replaced.
Add step flashing
Ice and water shield goes down first, then the apron across the front and step flashing up each side, one piece per shingle course. The step flashing is nailed to the roof deck only, never to the brick.
Handle the back side
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. Building codes call for a cricket behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
Cut in the counter flashing
A groove is cut into the mortar, and the counter flashing is set into it, either in one piece or stepped to follow the slope. Set into the brick, it lasts far longer than metal glued to the face.
What is included
What chimney flashing repair covers
Side flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles one piece per course.
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys and covered with metal or membrane and shingles.
Rot repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out so the shingles have solid nailing.
Front flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face to shed water onto the roof.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Secaucus, 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. Replacement is also the natural time to add a cricket if the chimney lacks one.
Not every flashing metal suits brick. 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 Secaucus, NJ
A chimney can leak at the roof line or from the top down, and the fix is different for each. 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. A cracked crown needs sealing or rebuilding, a missing cap lets rain straight down the flue, and porous brick can be treated with a breathable water repellent made for masonry. A roofer can point out these problems while checking the flashing.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Secaucus come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. Homes in Secaucus and nearby towns like Union City, East Rutherford, West New York and North Arlington 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 it helps to know which kind you have when you call.
Need chimney flashing repair around Secaucus? Call (551) 373-3020 for a Secaucus 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. That is why roof repair in Secaucus is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Secaucus 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
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. From the attic, stained rafters and decking around the brick confirm water is getting in. On the roof, rusted metal, loose counter flashing and heavy tar are warning signs. Call (551) 373-3020 to have a roofer check it.
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
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. 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. A call to (551) 373-3020 is a good next step.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
Minor problems such as a loose counter flashing piece can be refastened into the mortar. If the flashing is corroded or relies on caulk instead of proper lapping, replacing it is the better repair. Adding more tar on top only delays the next leak.
Why does my chimney need a cricket?
It is a little roof-like peak that sits behind the chimney. It diverts runoff, leaves and snow to each side so they do not collect behind the chimney. Codes generally require one once a chimney is wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
More questions? Call (551) 373-3020
Related services
Flashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Leak repairs that fix the entry point, not just the ceiling stain, with the damage underneath checked too.
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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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See all roofing servicesGet chimney flashing repair help in Secaucus
Call (551) 373-3020 for a local roofer in Secaucus and nearby towns.