Step flashing
Step pieces up both sides of the chimney are replaced one piece per course.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Park Ridge, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in Park Ridge come from the flashing, and a roofer can fix them with new step and counter flashing set into the brick instead of tar, with a cricket behind wide chimneys to keep water from piling up. Dial (551) 390-0358 to talk with a local roofer about the chimney leak.
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. 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 careful look covers both the flashing and the visible masonry above it.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Park Ridge roofer may also recommend flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Looking for Park Ridge chimney flashing repair? Call (551) 390-0358 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Park Ridge.
Call nowThe process
How chimney flashing repair works
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. That separates true flashing leaks from water coming through the chimney itself.
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.
Install the base 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. Each step piece laps the one below it.
Install the back pan
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. Without one, a wide chimney acts like a dam.
Set counter flashing
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
Parts of a chimney flashing job
Chimney saddle
A cricket is framed behind wide chimneys so water cannot pond against the brick.
Cap flashing
New counter flashing is let into the brick and sealed at the joint.
Decking repair
Rotted decking around the chimney opening is replaced so the shingles have solid nailing.
Front flashing
The base flashing on the front is renewed lapped over the shingles below.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Park Ridge, NJ
Replacing the flashing outright is the better choice when patches keep failing or the metal has corroded. 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.
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 Park Ridge, 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. Hose testing each side and then the chimney top separately settles the question.
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. A roofer can point out these problems while checking the flashing.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Park Ridge, chimney leaks often date back to a reroof where the old chimney flashing was reused or covered in sealant. Homes in Park Ridge and nearby towns like Woodcliff Lake, Montvale, Hillsdale and Saddle River range from older houses with full masonry chimneys to newer ones with framed chases wrapped in siding, which are flashed more like a sidewall, which is why the roofer starts by looking at how the chimney is built.
Need chimney flashing repair around Park Ridge? Call (551) 390-0358 for a Park Ridge roofer who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects roofs around Park Ridge
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 Park Ridge is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Park Ridge know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
Why is my chimney still leaking after new flashing?
When new flashing does not stop the leak, the masonry is the usual suspect. Open joints, spalling brick and a damaged crown all let water in above the flashing. Sometimes moisture inside the flue itself is to blame. Call (551) 390-0358 to have the source traced.
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. Damage to the crown, brick or mortar beyond that is masonry work.
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked structure built behind a chimney on the uphill side. It diverts runoff, leaves and snow to each side so they do not collect behind the chimney. Most residential codes call for one behind chimneys wider than about thirty inches.
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) 390-0358 to have a roofer check it.
Can chimney flashing be repaired without replacing it?
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. Adding more tar on top only delays the next leak.
More questions? Call (551) 390-0358
Related services
Flashing Repair
Flashing repairs at the joints where most roof leaks start, so water runs onto the shingles instead of into the wall.
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
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 servicesGet chimney flashing repair help in Park Ridge
Call (551) 390-0358 for a local roofer in Park Ridge and nearby towns.