Apron flashing
The front of the chimney gets a new apron with counter flashing over it.
Roof Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Livingston, NJ
Most leaks around a chimney in Livingston come from the flashing, and a roofer can fix them with new step and counter flashing set into the brick instead of tar, so the leak does not come back next season. Call (973) 858-1821 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. 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. That is why a single strip of metal glued to the brick with sealant does not last.
A correctly flashed chimney uses a system, not a single piece. 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 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. Leaks that continue after new flashing often trace back to the crown, the cap or the brick itself. A careful look covers both the flashing and the visible masonry above it.
Many chimney flashing repair calls in Livingston also turn up a need for flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Looking for Livingston chimney flashing repair? Call (973) 858-1821 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Livingston.
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. 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. Soft or rotted decking around the chimney is replaced at this stage.
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. 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. The overlap allows movement while keeping water out.
What is included
Parts of a chimney flashing job
Rot repair
Rotted decking around the chimney opening is replaced before the new flashing goes in.
Step flashing
Side flashing is woven in with new shingles nailed to the deck, not the brick.
Counter flashing
Counter flashing is set into ground-out mortar joints instead of caulked to the face.
Chimney saddle
Water and debris are steered around the chimney so water cannot pond against the brick.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Livingston, 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. Replacement is also the natural time to add a cricket if the chimney lacks one.
The metal choice matters around masonry. Copper and lead-coated copper last a very long time and form neatly to brick, galvanized steel is durable when painted, and aluminum should be coated or kept out of direct contact with mortar, which can corrode it. Matching the metal to the masonry avoids early corrosion.
Related service
Chimney Leak Repair Livingston, NJ
A chimney can leak at the roof line or from the top down, and the fix is different for each. 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. 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. Typical fixes are crown repair, a new cap and repointing of open mortar joints, sometimes followed by a vapor-permeable masonry water repellent. 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 Livingston, many chimney flashing problems show up on homes with wide brick chimneys and no cricket behind them. From Livingston out to neighboring towns such as Roseland, Short Hills, Florham Park and Caldwell, 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 Livingston or Roseland, Short Hills, Florham Park and Caldwell? Call (973) 858-1821 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects roofs around Livingston
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, which is how ice dams form and back 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 Livingston 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.
Roofers who know Livingston
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Livingston and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
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.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Stains on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney after rain are the most common sign. Inside the attic, water trails on the brick or framing are another clue. Outside, look for loose or rusted flashing and old sealant patches. Call (973) 858-1821 to reach a local roofer.
Is it possible to just reseal chimney flashing?
Small issues, like counter flashing that has pulled out of its mortar joint, can be reset and resealed. Flashing that was installed wrong or has rusted through needs to be replaced, not resealed. More sealant over a failing system buys a little time at best.
Should a roofer or a mason repair my chimney flashing?
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. Damage to the crown, brick or mortar beyond that is masonry work.
What causes a chimney leak if the flashing is new?
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. Sometimes moisture inside the flue itself is to blame. Call (973) 858-1821 to reach a roofer.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1821
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