Cricket installation
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys so water cannot pond against the brick.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair New Milford, NJ
A New Milford roofer can rebuild the flashing around a leaking chimney so the joint between brick and shingles sheds water on its own, and check whether the crown or brick is part of the problem. One call to (551) 374-2044 reaches a nearby roofer who handles chimney flashing.
The joint between a chimney and the roof is one of the most leak-prone spots on any house. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Water near a chimney can also come through the chimney itself. Leaks that continue after new flashing often trace back to the crown, the cap or the brick itself. Sorting out which one is leaking avoids paying for the wrong repair.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in New Milford also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Dealing with this in New Milford, NJ right now? Call (551) 374-2044 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
The chimney flashing process
Here is how a roofer typically handles chimney flashing.
Check the joint
The roofer looks at the flashing on all four sides, the mortar joints, the crown and cap and the attic framing around the chimney. If the masonry is clearly the source, the roofer will say so.
Clear the joint
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.
Add step flashing
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. Nothing is fastened to the masonry at this stage, so the roof and chimney can move.
Install the back pan
The upslope side gets a saddle or, for wide chimneys, a small peaked cricket that sheds water to both sides. Without one, a wide chimney acts like a dam.
Cut in the counter flashing
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
Rot repair
Soft sheathing next to the chimney is renewed before the new flashing goes in.
Front flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron with counter flashing over it.
Step flashing
Step pieces up both sides of the chimney are replaced lapped so water runs downhill.
Cap flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick instead of caulked to the face.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement New Milford, NJ
Full replacement of chimney flashing is the answer when the existing pieces are rusted, missing or held on by caulk. Patching a system that was installed wrong rarely works, because the problem is in how the pieces overlap. Adding a cricket during replacement solves the uphill pooling at the same time.
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 New Milford, NJ
A chimney can leak at the roof line or from the top down, and the fix is different for each. A leak that keeps going after the rain ends often means water stored in the masonry is draining out. A careful water test, one side at a time, can tell the two apart.
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. The roofer can spot many of these from the roof and tell you who should fix them.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
In New Milford, many chimney flashing problems show up on homes with wide brick chimneys and no cricket behind them. From New Milford out to neighboring towns such as River Edge, Bergenfield, Dumont and Oradell, older brick chimneys tend to need counter flashing reset into worn mortar, while newer framed chases more often leak at the chase top or siding joint, so it helps to know which kind you have when you call.
Searching for chimney flashing repair near me from New Milford or River Edge, Bergenfield, Dumont and Oradell? Call (551) 374-2044 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
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. Most homeowners in New Milford, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across New Milford and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair FAQ
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. Codes generally require one once a chimney is wider than about thirty inches across the slope.
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. On the roof, rusted metal, loose counter flashing and heavy tar are warning signs. Call (551) 374-2044 to reach a local roofer.
Is it possible to just reseal chimney flashing?
A single loose section of counter flashing can be reset without replacing everything. 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.
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. Roofers routinely grind the mortar joint and set counter flashing. If the crown, cap or brick is damaged, a mason handles that part.
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) 374-2044 is a good next step.
More questions? Call (551) 374-2044
Other services that may help
Flashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, with new metal instead of another layer of caulk.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Finding where water gets through the roof and sealing it at the source, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
Learn moreRoof Leak Detection
Tracing hidden roof leaks with attic checks, moisture meters, hose testing and infrared scans, so the repair goes in the right place the first time.
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 servicesGet chimney flashing repair help in New Milford
Call (551) 374-2044 to talk to a roofer serving New Milford, NJ.