Decking repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out while the area is open.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Scotch Plains, NJ
A Scotch Plains 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 (908) 562-6873 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
Few places on a roof leak as often as the gap around a chimney. 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. Tar and caulk alone cannot handle that movement for long.
A correctly flashed chimney uses a system, not a single piece. 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. 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. 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 Scotch Plains also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Need chimney flashing repair in Scotch Plains? Call (908) 562-6873 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
The roofer looks at the flashing on all four sides, the mortar joints, the crown and cap and the attic framing around the chimney. If the masonry is clearly the source, the roofer will say so.
Remove old metal
Shingles around the chimney are removed along with the old flashing, tar and caulk. Any decking that has gone soft from years of leaks is replaced.
Add step flashing
A membrane underlayment goes around the chimney, then the front apron and the side step flashing are installed with the shingles. The step flashing is nailed to the roof deck only, never to the brick.
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.
Cut in the 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
Front flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron to shed water onto the roof.
Step flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints so it overlaps the step flashing.
Chimney saddle
Water and debris are steered around the chimney which stops one of the most common chimney leaks.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Scotch Plains, 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. It is also the right moment to add a cricket or back pan.
Not every flashing metal suits brick. Copper and lead-coated copper last a very long time and form neatly to brick, galvanized steel is durable when painted, and aluminum should be coated or kept out of direct contact with mortar, which can corrode it. Matching the metal to the masonry avoids early corrosion.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Scotch Plains, 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. Testing the flashing and the masonry separately pins down the source.
Leaks through the chimney body need masonry work rather than flashing. Typical fixes are crown repair, a new cap and repointing of open mortar joints, sometimes followed by a vapor-permeable masonry water repellent. Those repairs are often done alongside new flashing so the whole leak is solved.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Scotch Plains come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. From Scotch Plains out to neighboring towns such as Fanwood, Westfield, Garwood and Plainfield, older brick chimneys tend to need counter flashing reset into worn mortar, while newer framed chases more often leak at the chase top or siding joint, so expect the roofer to ask which type is on your house.
Need chimney flashing repair around Scotch Plains? Call (908) 562-6873 for a Scotch Plains roofer who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects roofs around Scotch Plains
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. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Scotch Plains, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why fix it now
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Scotch Plains know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
A roofer handles the flashing, because it has to be woven into the roof. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
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.
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. A roofer reached at (908) 562-6873 can find the source.
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. Wide chimneys need one under most building codes.
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
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 (908) 562-6873 is a good next step.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6873
Related services
Flashing Repair
Flashing repairs at the joints where most roof leaks start, so water runs onto the shingles instead of into the wall.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Finding stubborn leaks that earlier patches missed, with a clear answer on roof leak versus condensation.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Replacing missing, creased or cracked shingles, resealing lifted tabs and fixing popped nails, matched to the shingles already on the house.
Learn more
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