Apron flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face with counter flashing over it.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Hillside, NJ
A roofer in Hillside can stop most chimney leaks by replacing the flashing where the chimney meets the roof: step flashing along the sides, counter flashing cut into the mortar, an apron at the front and a back pan or cricket behind, and check whether the crown or brick is part of the problem. Dial (908) 562-6893 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
Few places on a roof leak as often as the gap around a chimney. Because the chimney and the roof are separate structures, the flashing has to bridge a joint that never stops moving. That is why a single strip of metal glued to the brick with sealant does not last.
A correctly flashed chimney uses a system, not a single piece. 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. Counter flashing that is only caulked onto the brick face is one of the most common causes of chimney leaks.
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.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Hillside also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Dealing with this in Hillside, NJ right now? Call (908) 562-6893 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Hillside.
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. A hose test on one side at a time can confirm the source.
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.
Install the base flashing
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. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Build a cricket
The upslope side gets a saddle or, for wide chimneys, a small peaked cricket that sheds water to both sides. 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
Chimney flashing parts
Decking repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out while the area is open.
Step flashing
Each side gets new step flashing nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Counter flashing
Cap flashing is cut into the masonry and sealed at the joint.
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys so water cannot pond against the brick.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Hillside, 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.
Not every flashing metal suits brick. 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 Hillside, 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. Testing the flashing and the masonry separately pins down the source.
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. The roofer can spot many of these from the roof and tell you who should fix them.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Hillside come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. Homes in Hillside and nearby towns like Union, Elizabeth, Roselle Park and Vauxhall 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.
Searching for chimney flashing repair near me from Hillside or Union, Elizabeth, Roselle Park and Vauxhall? Call (908) 562-6893 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a roof
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 Hillside is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Hillside
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Hillside and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
A leak that continues after new flashing usually comes from the chimney itself. A cracked crown, a missing cap, open mortar joints or porous brick can let water travel down inside the masonry to the roof line. In some cases, condensation inside the flue is the cause. Call (908) 562-6893 to have the source traced.
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
A roofer handles the flashing, because it has to be woven into the roof. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. Damage to the crown, brick or mortar beyond that is masonry work.
What are the signs of a chimney flashing leak?
Stains on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney after rain are the most common sign. In the attic, wet or dark framing around the chimney opening points the same way. From the yard, heavy tar around the base is a good hint that the flashing has been patched before. Call (908) 562-6893 to reach a local roofer.
Is it possible to just reseal chimney flashing?
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. Adding more tar on top only delays the next leak.
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.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6893
Other services that may help
Flashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof 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
Finding stubborn leaks that earlier patches missed, so the repair goes in the right place the first time.
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
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed chimney flashing repair in Hillside, NJ?
Call (908) 562-6893 to talk to a roofer serving Hillside, NJ.