Counter flashing
Cap flashing is cut into the masonry so it overlaps the step flashing.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Denville, NJ
A roofer in Denville 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, so the leak does not come back next season. Dial (862) 421-0116 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. Tar and caulk alone cannot handle that movement for long.
Each side of a chimney gets its own kind of flashing. 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. A roofer checks the flashing and can point out masonry problems that need a mason.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Denville roofer may also recommend flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Need chimney flashing repair in Denville? Call (862) 421-0116 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Denville.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
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
Shingles around the chimney are removed along with the old flashing, tar and caulk. Rotted sheathing next to the chimney is cut out and renewed.
Install the base 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
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.
Set 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. The overlap allows movement while keeping water out.
What is included
Parts of a chimney flashing job
Step flashing
Each side gets new step flashing one piece per course.
Apron flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron with counter flashing over it.
Chimney saddle
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side so water cannot pond against the brick.
Decking repair
Rotted decking around the chimney opening is replaced before the new flashing goes in.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Denville, 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 Denville, NJ
A chimney can leak at the roof line or from the top down, and the fix is different for each. A leak that keeps going after the rain ends often means water stored in the masonry is draining out. 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
Chimney flashing calls in Denville come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. From Denville out to neighboring towns such as Rockaway, Mountain Lakes, Morris Plains and Dover, 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.
For chimney flashing repair in Denville, NJ or nearby towns like Rockaway, Mountain Lakes, Morris Plains and Dover, call (862) 421-0116 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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Denville, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Denville
Roofers in Denville know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
The flashing belongs to the roof, so a roofer is the right call for it. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
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. Sometimes moisture inside the flue itself is to blame. Call (862) 421-0116 to reach a roofer.
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 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.
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. Outside, look for loose or rusted flashing and old sealant patches. Call (862) 421-0116 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. More sealant over a failing system buys a little time at best.
More questions? Call (862) 421-0116
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Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, so water runs onto the shingles instead of into the wall.
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Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, with the damage underneath checked too.
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Finding stubborn leaks that earlier patches missed, so the repair goes in the right place the first time.
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Shingle by shingle repairs that keep a sound roof in service, matched to the shingles already on the house.
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Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet chimney flashing repair help in Denville
Call (862) 421-0116 for a local roofer in Denville and nearby towns.