Cricket installation
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side which stops one of the most common chimney leaks.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair South Orange, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in South Orange come from the flashing, and a roofer can fix them with new step and counter flashing set into the brick instead of tar, so the leak does not come back next season. Dial (973) 858-1859 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
The joint between a chimney and the roof is one of the most leak-prone spots on any house. 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. Any flashing that is rigidly glued to both the brick and the roof tends to crack loose within a few years.
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.
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. A careful look covers both the flashing and the visible masonry above it.
Depending on what the roofer finds, chimney flashing repair in South Orange, NJ can go hand in hand with flashing repair and roof leak repair.
Looking for South Orange chimney flashing repair? Call (973) 858-1859 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in South Orange.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
Chimney flashing is rebuilt from the bottom up, like the rest of a roof.
Find the source
Before anything comes off, the roofer checks the flashing, the brick, the crown and the wood around the chimney. That separates true flashing leaks from water coming through the chimney itself.
Clear the joint
Old flashing and sealant come off, and the shingles next to the brick are lifted or removed. Rotted sheathing next to the chimney is cut out and renewed.
Set the apron
Ice and water shield goes down first, then the apron across the front and step flashing up each side, one piece per shingle course. Nothing is fastened to the masonry at this stage, so the roof and chimney can move.
Install the back pan
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
The roofer grinds a slot into a mortar joint, bends the counter flashing into it and seals it, so it laps down over the step flashing. The overlap allows movement while keeping water out.
What is included
What chimney flashing repair covers
Step flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Apron flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron lapped over the shingles below.
Rot repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed while the area is open.
Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints and sealed at the joint.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement South Orange, NJ
Replacing the flashing outright is the better choice when patches keep failing or the metal has corroded. If the original flashing was installed incorrectly, more sealant cannot correct the lapping. Adding a cricket during replacement solves the uphill pooling at the same time.
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. Ask which metal the roofer plans to use and why.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair South Orange, NJ
Leaks around a chimney have two main sources: the flashing at the roof and the masonry above it. Water that appears only in hard rain at the base points to flashing, while a slow leak that lingers after rain hints at soaked brick or a cracked crown. Testing the flashing and the masonry separately pins down the source.
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
Around South Orange, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. Across South Orange and nearby communities including Vauxhall, East Orange, Union and Short Hills, the chimney type decides the fix: masonry needs counter flashing cut into the brick, and a framed chase needs step flashing behind the siding, which is why the roofer starts by looking at how the chimney is built.
For chimney flashing repair in South Orange, NJ or nearby towns like Vauxhall, East Orange, Union and Short Hills, call (973) 858-1859 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, 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. Most homeowners in South Orange, 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.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in South Orange 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.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
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.
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
Water can still get in through the top or sides of the chimney. Open joints, spalling brick and a damaged crown all let water in above the flashing. Condensation in an unlined or oversized flue can also cause damp spots. Call (973) 858-1859 to have the source traced.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
A roofer handles the flashing, because it has to be woven into the roof. 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.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked structure built behind a chimney on the uphill side. Water flowing down the slope hits the cricket and is steered around both sides. Codes generally require one once a chimney is wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Water marks beside the chimney inside the house are the usual first clue. 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. A roofer reached at (973) 858-1859 can find the source.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1859
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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.
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Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, before wet decking and insulation turn into rot.
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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, before a small gap turns into a leak.
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Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a South Orange roofer about chimney flashing repair
Call (973) 858-1859 to talk to a roofer serving South Orange, NJ.