Front flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face with counter flashing over it.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Hawthorne, NJ
A Hawthorne 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. Call (862) 434-1182 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. 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. Counter flashing that is only caulked onto the brick face is one of the most common causes of chimney leaks.
Water near a chimney can also come through the chimney itself. 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. Sorting out which one is leaking avoids paying for the wrong repair.
Depending on what the roofer finds, chimney flashing repair in Hawthorne, NJ can go hand in hand with flashing repair and roof leak repair.
Dealing with this in Hawthorne, NJ right now? Call (862) 434-1182 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Hawthorne.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
Here is how a roofer typically handles chimney flashing.
Find the source
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.
Remove old metal
Shingles around the chimney are removed along with the old flashing, tar and caulk. Any decking that has gone soft from years of leaks is replaced.
Set the apron
A membrane underlayment goes around the chimney, then the front apron and the side step flashing are installed with the shingles. The step flashing is nailed to the roof deck only, never to the brick.
Install the back pan
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
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. Set into the brick, it lasts far longer than metal glued to the face.
What is included
Chimney flashing parts
Cap flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints so it overlaps the step flashing.
Step flashing
Each side gets new step flashing one piece per course.
Rot repair
Water-damaged wood at the chimney is cut out before the new flashing goes in.
Chimney saddle
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side which stops one of the most common chimney leaks.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Hawthorne, 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. Adding a cricket during replacement solves the uphill pooling at the same time.
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 Hawthorne, 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. Hose testing each side and then the chimney top separately settles the question.
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. Those repairs are often done alongside new flashing so the whole leak is solved.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Chimney flashing calls in Hawthorne come mostly from older brick chimneys that have been reflashed with tar more than once. Homes in Hawthorne and nearby towns like Glen Rock, Haledon, Fair Lawn and Midland Park 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 expect the roofer to ask which type is on your house.
For chimney flashing repair in Hawthorne, NJ or nearby towns like Glen Rock, Haledon, Fair Lawn and Midland Park, call (862) 434-1182 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a roof
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, 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 Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne and nearby towns.
Straight answers
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. From the attic, stained rafters and decking around the brick confirm water is getting in. Outside, look for loose or rusted flashing and old sealant patches. A roofer reached at (862) 434-1182 can find the source.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
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.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket is a small ridge framed on the upslope side of a 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.
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
When new flashing does not stop the leak, the masonry is the usual suspect. Rain soaks through porous brick or a cracked crown and runs down inside the chimney. In some cases, condensation inside the flue is the cause. A call to (862) 434-1182 is a good next step.
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
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. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
More questions? Call (862) 434-1182
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
Stopping water at the pipe boots, flashing, valleys and nail holes where roofs actually leak, before wet decking and insulation turn into rot.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Pinpointing where water actually enters a roof, even when the stain is far away, with a clear answer on roof leak versus condensation.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Spot repairs for wind, hail and age damage on an asphalt shingle roof, before a small gap turns into a leak.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed chimney flashing repair in Hawthorne, NJ?
Call (862) 434-1182 for a local roofer in Hawthorne and nearby towns.