Side flashing
Each side gets new step flashing one piece per course.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Midland Park, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in Midland Park come from the flashing, and a roofer can fix them with new step and counter flashing set into the brick instead of tar, and check whether the crown or brick is part of the problem. Call (551) 370-0731 to reach a local roofer.
A chimney is a large masonry box punched through the roof, and sealing around it takes several pieces of flashing working together. Because the chimney and the roof are separate structures, the flashing has to bridge a joint that never stops moving. Tar and caulk alone cannot handle that movement for long.
A correctly flashed chimney uses a system, not a single piece. The front gets an apron, the sides get step flashing, the back gets a pan or cricket, and counter flashing tucked into the brick seals the top of it all. 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.
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 careful look covers both the flashing and the visible masonry above it.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Midland Park also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Looking for Midland Park chimney flashing repair? Call (551) 370-0731 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
What happens during chimney flashing repair
The work follows the path water takes, front to back.
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. A hose test on one side at a time can confirm the source.
Remove old metal
Shingles around the chimney are removed along with the old flashing, tar and caulk. Soft or rotted decking around the chimney is replaced at this stage.
Add step 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. Nothing is fastened to the masonry at this stage, so the roof and chimney can move.
Build a cricket
On the uphill side, a back pan or saddle is fitted, and on wider chimneys a cricket is framed to split the water around it. Without one, a wide chimney acts like a dam.
Cut in the 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. That two-part design lets the chimney and roof move without tearing the seal.
What is included
Chimney flashing parts
Counter flashing
Cap flashing is cut into the masonry so it overlaps the step flashing.
Rot repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out before the new flashing goes in.
Front flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face to shed water onto the roof.
Chimney saddle
Water and debris are steered around the chimney so water cannot pond against the brick.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Midland Park, 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. Patching a system that was installed wrong rarely works, because the problem is in how the pieces overlap. It is also the right moment to add a cricket or back pan.
The metal choice matters around masonry. Lime in mortar corrodes bare aluminum, so copper, coated steel or coated aluminum are common choices. Matching the metal to the masonry avoids early corrosion.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Midland Park, NJ
Chimney leak repair starts by finding out whether water comes through the flashing or through the chimney itself. 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. A careful water test, one side at a time, can tell the two apart.
When water comes through the chimney, the repair moves up above the roof. Typical fixes are crown repair, a new cap and repointing of open mortar joints, sometimes followed by a vapor-permeable masonry water repellent. A roofer can point out these problems while checking the flashing.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Midland Park come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. Across Midland Park and nearby communities including Waldwick, Ridgewood, Allendale and Glen Rock, the chimney type decides the fix: masonry needs counter flashing cut into the brick, and a framed chase needs step flashing behind the siding, so it helps to know which kind you have when you call.
Searching for chimney flashing repair near me from Midland Park or Waldwick, Ridgewood, Allendale and Glen Rock? Call (551) 370-0731 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
Roofs in this climate
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, 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. That is why roof repair in Midland Park is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Midland Park and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
Small issues, like counter flashing that has pulled out of its mortar joint, can be reset and resealed. When the metal is rusted, missing pieces or was never installed correctly, replacement is the lasting fix. Another coat of tar is a short-term patch.
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. In some cases, condensation inside the flue is the cause. Call (551) 370-0731 to have the source traced.
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. On the roof, rusted metal, loose counter flashing and heavy tar are warning signs. Call (551) 370-0731 to have a roofer check it.
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
Chimney flashing is roofing work, since it ties into the shingles, underlayment and step flashing. Setting the counter flashing into the brick is routine for roofers who do this work. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
Why does my chimney need a cricket?
It is a little roof-like peak that sits behind the chimney. Water flowing down the slope hits the cricket and is steered around both sides. Most residential codes call for one behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches.
More questions? Call (551) 370-0731
Other services that may help
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Spot repairs for wind, hail and age damage on an asphalt shingle roof, before a small gap turns into a leak.
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Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed chimney flashing repair in Midland Park, NJ?
Call (551) 370-0731 for a local roofer in Midland Park and nearby towns.