Counter flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick and sealed at the joint.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Harrison, NJ
A Harrison 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 (551) 348-3304 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. That is why a single strip of metal glued to the brick with sealant does not last.
Each side of a chimney gets its own kind of flashing. 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. 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.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Harrison also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Looking for Harrison chimney flashing repair? Call (551) 348-3304 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Harrison.
Call nowThe process
The chimney flashing process
Chimney flashing is rebuilt from the bottom up, like the rest of a roof.
Find the source
Before anything comes off, the roofer checks the flashing, the brick, the crown and the wood around the chimney. If the masonry is clearly the source, the roofer will say so.
Clear the joint
The roofer removes the existing metal, layers of tar and the nearby shingles. Any decking that has gone soft from years of leaks is replaced.
Add step flashing
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.
Build a cricket
The upslope side gets a saddle or, for wide chimneys, a small peaked cricket that sheds water to both sides. Building codes call for a cricket behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
Seal the top edge
Counter flashing is let into a ground-out mortar joint and sealed, overlapping the base flashing below. That two-part design lets the chimney and roof move without tearing the seal.
What is included
Parts of a chimney flashing job
Step flashing
Each side gets new step flashing one piece per course.
Apron flashing
A one-piece apron is installed across the downhill face with counter flashing over it.
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys and covered with metal or membrane and shingles.
Rot repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed so the shingles have solid nailing.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Harrison, 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.
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. Matching the metal to the masonry avoids early corrosion.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Harrison, NJ
Chimney leak repair starts by finding out whether water comes through the flashing or through the chimney itself. 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.
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
In Harrison, many chimney flashing problems show up on homes with wide brick chimneys and no cricket behind them. Across Harrison and nearby communities including Newark, Kearny, North Arlington and East Orange, 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 Harrison? Call (551) 348-3304 for a Harrison 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. 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. That is why roof repair in Harrison is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Harrison and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
Who fixes chimney flashing, a roofer or a mason?
A roofer handles the flashing, because it has to be woven into the roof. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. Problems with the chimney itself, like a cracked crown, call for a mason.
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
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) 348-3304 to have the source traced.
What is a chimney 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.
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 are the signs of a chimney flashing leak?
Look for damp spots near the chimney after rain, both in the house and in the attic. In the attic, wet or dark framing around the chimney opening points the same way. From the yard, heavy tar around the base is a good hint that the flashing has been patched before. A roofer reached at (551) 348-3304 can find the source.
More questions? Call (551) 348-3304
Related services
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
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, with a clear answer on roof leak versus condensation.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Replacing missing, creased or cracked shingles, resealing lifted tabs and fixing popped nails, without tearing off the whole roof.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Harrison roofer about chimney flashing repair
Call (551) 348-3304 for a local roofer in Harrison and nearby towns.