Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints so it overlaps the step flashing.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Weehawken, NJ
A Weehawken roofer can rebuild the flashing around a leaking chimney so the joint between brick and shingles sheds water on its own, with a cricket behind wide chimneys to keep water from piling up. Dial (551) 373-3025 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. 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.
Not every leak around a chimney is a flashing leak. 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.
Chimney Flashing Repair is often paired with flashing repair and roof leak repair, depending on the cause.
Looking for Weehawken chimney flashing repair? Call (551) 373-3025 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
The chimney flashing process
Chimney flashing is rebuilt from the bottom up, like the rest of a roof.
Check the joint
Every side of the chimney is checked, along with the masonry above the roof and the decking around the opening from the attic. That separates true flashing leaks from water coming through the chimney itself.
Clear the joint
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
Ice and water shield goes down first, then the apron across the front and step flashing up each side, one piece per shingle course. 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. Wide chimneys need a cricket under most residential codes.
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
Chimney flashing parts
Decking repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed so the shingles have solid nailing.
Chimney saddle
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side and covered with metal or membrane and shingles.
Side flashing
Each side gets new step flashing lapped so water runs downhill.
Front flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face with counter flashing over it.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Weehawken, 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. When the basic design is wrong, repairs only delay the next leak. Replacement is also the natural time to add a cricket if the chimney lacks one.
The metal choice matters around masonry. 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 Weehawken, 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. Hose testing each side and then the chimney top separately settles the question.
When water comes through the chimney, the repair moves up above the roof. 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
Chimney flashing calls in Weehawken come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. Homes in Weehawken and nearby towns like Union City, West New York, Hoboken and Secaucus 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.
Need chimney flashing repair around Weehawken? Call (551) 373-3025 for a Weehawken 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. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Weehawken, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Weehawken
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Weehawken and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
When new flashing does not stop the leak, the masonry is the usual suspect. 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 (551) 373-3025 to have the source traced.
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. Another coat of tar is a short-term patch.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Stains on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney after rain are the most common sign. Inside the attic, water trails on the brick or framing are another clue. Outside, look for loose or rusted flashing and old sealant patches. Call (551) 373-3025 to have a roofer check it.
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. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. Damage to the crown, brick or mortar beyond that is masonry work.
Why does my chimney need a 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. Wide chimneys need one under most building codes.
More questions? Call (551) 373-3025
Related services
Flashing Repair
Repairing step, counter, kickout, valley and drip edge flashing where roofs meet walls and edges, with new metal instead of another layer of caulk.
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, before anyone tears into the wrong part of the roof.
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
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