Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints so it overlaps the step flashing.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Madison, NJ
A roofer in Madison can stop most chimney leaks by replacing the flashing where the chimney meets the roof: step flashing along the sides, counter flashing cut into the mortar, an apron at the front and a back pan or cricket behind, with a cricket behind wide chimneys to keep water from piling up. Dial (862) 431-0046 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
Few places on a roof leak as often as the gap around a chimney. 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.
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. Counter flashing is the piece that most often fails or is skipped, replaced by surface-mounted metal and a bead of caulk.
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.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Madison roofer may also recommend flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Need chimney flashing repair in Madison? Call (862) 431-0046 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Madison.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
The work follows the path water takes, front to back.
Inspect the chimney
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.
Strip the old flashing
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.
Set the apron
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.
Install the back pan
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.
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. Set into the brick, it lasts far longer than metal glued to the face.
What is included
Chimney flashing parts
Apron flashing
The base flashing on the front is renewed to shed water onto the roof.
Rot repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed before the new flashing goes in.
Chimney saddle
A saddle diverts water around the uphill side so water cannot pond against the brick.
Step flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles one piece per course.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Madison, 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.
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 Madison, NJ
Leaks around a chimney have two main sources: the flashing at the roof and the masonry above it. A leak that keeps going after the rain ends often means water stored in the masonry is draining out. Testing the flashing and the masonry separately pins down the source.
Leaks through the chimney body need masonry work rather than flashing. A cracked crown needs sealing or rebuilding, a missing cap lets rain straight down the flue, and porous brick can be treated with a breathable water repellent made for masonry. 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 Madison, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. Across Madison and nearby communities including Florham Park, Chatham, Summit and Morristown, 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.
For chimney flashing repair in Madison, NJ or nearby towns like Florham Park, Chatham, Summit and Morristown, call (862) 431-0046 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Madison
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. Most homeowners in Madison, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why fix it now
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Madison know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
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.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Water marks beside the chimney inside the house are the usual first clue. 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. Call (862) 431-0046 to have a roofer check it.
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. More sealant over a failing system buys a little time at best.
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. Codes generally require one once a chimney is wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
A leak that continues after new flashing usually comes from the chimney itself. Rain soaks through porous brick or a cracked crown and runs down inside the chimney. Sometimes moisture inside the flue itself is to blame. Call (862) 431-0046 to reach a roofer.
More questions? Call (862) 431-0046
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See all roofing servicesGet chimney flashing repair help in Madison
Call (862) 431-0046 to talk to a roofer serving Madison, NJ.