Front flashing
The base flashing on the front is renewed lapped over the shingles below.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Englewood, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in Englewood 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) 355-3321 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. 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. Tar and caulk alone cannot handle that movement for long.
Proper chimney flashing has four main parts. Along the front sits a one-piece apron, step pieces run up each side with the shingles, a saddle or cricket diverts water behind, and counter flashing ground into the mortar covers the top edges. Counter flashing is the piece that most often fails or is skipped, replaced by surface-mounted metal and a bead of caulk.
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.
Chimney Flashing Repair is often paired with flashing repair and roof leak repair, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Englewood, NJ right now? Call (551) 355-3321 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.
Inspect the chimney
Every side of the chimney is checked, along with the masonry above the roof and the decking around the opening from the attic. If the masonry is clearly the source, the roofer will say so.
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
After a self-adhered membrane wraps the base of the chimney, the apron goes on the downhill face and step pieces are woven up both sides with new shingles. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Handle the back side
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. Building codes call for a cricket behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
Seal the top edge
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
Chimney flashing parts
Counter flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick and sealed at the joint.
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys and covered with metal or membrane and shingles.
Side flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles one piece per course.
Rot repair
Rotted decking around the chimney opening is replaced before the new flashing goes in.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Englewood, NJ
Full replacement of chimney flashing is the answer when the existing pieces are rusted, missing or held on by caulk. 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.
Not every flashing metal suits brick. 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 Englewood, 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. 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. The roofer can spot many of these from the roof and tell you who should fix them.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Englewood, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. Across Englewood and nearby communities including Englewood Cliffs, Leonia, Tenafly and Bergenfield, 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 expect the roofer to ask which type is on your house.
Need chimney flashing repair around Englewood? Call (551) 355-3321 for an Englewood roofer who serves the towns around it too.
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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. That is why roof repair in Englewood is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Englewood and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
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. If the flashing is corroded or relies on caulk instead of proper lapping, replacing it is the better repair. Adding more tar on top only delays the next leak.
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
Water can still get in through the top or sides of the chimney. Rain soaks through porous brick or a cracked crown and runs down inside the chimney. Sometimes moisture inside the flue itself is to blame. A call to (551) 355-3321 is a good next step.
Why does my chimney need a cricket?
A cricket is a small ridge framed on the upslope side of a chimney. It splits the water and debris coming down the roof and sends them around the chimney instead of letting them pile up against the brick. Wide chimneys need one under most building codes.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
Chimney flashing is roofing work, since it ties into the shingles, underlayment and step flashing. Cutting the counter flashing into the mortar joint is part of that job. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
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) 355-3321 to reach a local roofer.
More questions? Call (551) 355-3321
Other services that may help
Flashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, before hidden rot spreads into walls and decking.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, with the damage underneath checked too.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Finding stubborn leaks that earlier patches missed, with a clear answer on roof leak versus condensation.
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 servicesTalk to an Englewood roofer about chimney flashing repair
Call (551) 355-3321 for a local roofer in Englewood and nearby towns.