Chimney saddle
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side and covered with metal or membrane and shingles.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Maplewood, NJ
A Maplewood roofer can rebuild the flashing around a leaking chimney so the joint between brick and shingles sheds water on its own, so the leak does not come back next season. Dial (973) 858-1830 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
Few places on a roof leak as often as the gap around a chimney. 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. That is why a single strip of metal glued to the brick with sealant does not last.
Proper chimney flashing has four main parts. 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. 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 roofer checks the flashing and can point out masonry problems that need a mason.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Maplewood also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Need chimney flashing repair in Maplewood? Call (973) 858-1830 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
What happens during chimney flashing repair
Here is how a roofer typically handles chimney flashing.
Find the source
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
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.
Add step flashing
A membrane underlayment goes around the chimney, then the front apron and the side step flashing are installed with the shingles. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Handle the back side
Behind the chimney, a metal back pan or a framed cricket keeps water and debris from piling up. 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. Set into the brick, it lasts far longer than metal glued to the face.
What is included
Parts of a chimney flashing job
Counter flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick so it overlaps the step flashing.
Step flashing
Step pieces up both sides of the chimney are replaced nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Apron flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron with counter flashing over it.
Rot repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out before the new flashing goes in.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Maplewood, 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. Ask which metal the roofer plans to use and why.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Maplewood, NJ
A chimney can leak at the roof line or from the top down, and the fix is different for each. 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. 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. A roofer can point out these problems while checking the flashing.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Maplewood, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. From Maplewood out to neighboring towns such as Vauxhall, Union, Springfield and Short Hills, 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, which is why the roofer starts by looking at how the chimney is built.
Need chimney flashing repair around Maplewood? Call (973) 858-1830 for a Maplewood roofer who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a roof
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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Maplewood, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Maplewood
Roofers in Maplewood 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
What are the signs of a chimney flashing leak?
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. On the roof, rusted metal, loose counter flashing and heavy tar are warning signs. Call (973) 858-1830 to reach a local roofer.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
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. If the crown, cap or brick is damaged, a mason handles that part.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
Minor problems such as a loose counter flashing piece can be refastened into the mortar. Flashing that was installed wrong or has rusted through needs to be replaced, not resealed. Another coat of tar is a short-term patch.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket is a small ridge framed on the upslope side of a 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.
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. Call (973) 858-1830 to reach a roofer.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1830
Often needed together
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
Pinpointing where water actually enters a roof, even when the stain is far away, before anyone tears into the wrong part of the roof.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Shingle by shingle repairs that keep a sound roof in service, without tearing off the whole roof.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet chimney flashing repair help in Maplewood
Call (973) 858-1830 to talk to a roofer serving Maplewood, NJ.