Crickets
Missing or failed crickets are built or rebuilt and flashed to end leaks on the high side.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Long Valley, NJ
Leaks at the roof line in Long Valley usually come from flashing that has pulled loose, rusted through or been patched with tar, with step and counter flashing instead of caulk. Dial (908) 867-1003 to talk with a local chimney sweep about the flashing.
Chimney flashing is the metal that seals the gap between the chimney and the roof, and when it fails, water runs straight into the attic. The chimney and the roof move independently as the house settles and as temperatures swing, so the seal between them has to allow for movement. Eventually caulk cracks, fasteners loosen, steel rusts and the top edge of the flashing separates from the brick.
Good flashing is a system, not a single strip of metal. Step flashing is a series of L-shaped pieces woven in with each course of shingles along the sides of the chimney, and counter flashing covers the top edge of the step flashing and is set into a groove cut in the mortar joints. On the uphill side, a cricket keeps water from pooling against the chimney, which matters most on wide chimneys.
When you call about a flashing leak in Long Valley, a few details help. Mention where the water shows up, how often it leaks and how old the roof is. Visible tar or silicone around the base of the chimney is a sign someone has patched it before, which is worth mentioning.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney flashing repair in Long Valley, NJ can go hand in hand with chimney leak repair and chimney waterproofing.
Looking for Long Valley chimney flashing repair? Call (908) 867-1003 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The flashing repair process
Flashing repair is about rebuilding the layers so water always runs over a joint, never into it.
Inspect the roof line
Each part of the flashing is inspected, along with the condition of the surrounding roofing. Where possible, the attic is checked for wet or damaged decking.
Test for leaks
Before replacing flashing, the crown, cap and brick are checked, since they can send water down the same path. New flashing will not stop a leak that starts at the crown.
Clear the old work
Failed sealant and damaged flashing come off so the new work starts on a clean, sound surface. Damaged roof deck is fixed while it is exposed.
Install step flashing
Individual L-shaped step flashing pieces are layered with the shingles up each side of the chimney. A front apron and a waterproof underlayment complete the lower layers.
Seal into the mortar
Counter flashing is let into a cut in the mortar joint and lapped over the step flashing so water cannot get behind it. The metal is chosen to last, with copper or coated steel used where the flashing meets mortar.
Divert uphill water
On wide chimneys, a cricket is framed and flashed on the uphill side so water and snow are split around the chimney. That removes the spot where water sits and soaks into the flashing.
What is included
Flashing work a chimney sweep handles
Counter flashing
Loose counter flashing is replaced and set into the masonry which closes the most common gap.
Apron flashing
The lower apron is reset over the shingles to keep the front edge watertight.
Tar patch removal
Failed tar patches are stripped and replaced with real flashing before new metal goes on.
Step flashing
Loose step flashing is reset or renewed with every piece lapped correctly.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Long Valley, NJ
Chimney flashing replacement makes sense when the metal is rusted through, the counter flashing has pulled out of the mortar or the flashing has been patched so many times that nothing sound is left. It is a full redo of the joint, from the underlayment up to the counter flashing in the mortar. Reusing worn flashing under new shingles is one of the most frequent causes of chimney leaks on newer roofs.
If you are replacing the roof on a Long Valley home, that is the ideal time to replace the chimney flashing too. Coordinate the chimney sweep and the roofer so the step flashing goes in with the shingles and the counter flashing is set into the brick. With the roof open, it makes sense to check the rest of the chimney top as well.
Local help
Chimney Flashing Repair Near Me
Around Long Valley, many chimney leaks trace back to flashing that was patched with tar instead of replaced. Across Long Valley and nearby places including Chester, Beattystown, Flanders and Hackettstown, the chimneys that leak most are the ones where water and snow collect on the uphill side, so proper step and counter flashing, and a cricket where needed, is worth doing right once.
Need chimney flashing repair around Long Valley? Call (908) 867-1003 for a Long Valley chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Long Valley
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. Most homeowners in Long Valley, NJ schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why not wait
Safer fires
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Chimney sweeps in Long Valley know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
What is a chimney cricket?
A cricket, also called a saddle, is a small peaked structure built on the uphill side of a chimney to split water and snow around it. On a wide chimney, the back side becomes a dam where water and debris sit and eventually leak through. Building codes generally require a cricket on chimneys more than about thirty inches wide that do not meet the ridge.
Should I repair or replace my chimney flashing?
The answer depends on how much of the flashing is still sound. Sound flashing with a loose top edge can usually be reset into a fresh cut in the mortar. If it is rusted through, badly bent or buried under old tar, replacement is the better value.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
Stains beside the chimney, dark wood in the attic and loose or corroded metal at the roof line are the usual giveaways. A leak in the firebox is more likely the cap or crown, while a leak along the ceiling beside the chimney is more often the flashing. Testing with a hose confirms which part is leaking.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
Replacing it during a reroof is strongly recommended. Step flashing is woven in with the shingles, so the roof has to be open to replace it properly anyway. Many leaks on newer roofs come from reused chimney flashing.
Why did caulking my chimney flashing not stop the leak?
Caulk and roofing tar only seal the surface, and they crack and pull loose as the chimney and roof expand and contract. If the step or counter flashing is missing, rusted or installed wrong, no amount of sealant will fix it. Sometimes the source is the masonry or crown above, not the flashing at all.
More questions? Call (908) 867-1003
Related services
Chimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, whether the drip shows up in the attic, the ceiling or the firebox.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Protecting chimney masonry from rain with a penetrating repellent, to slow freeze-thaw damage and spalling.
Learn moreChimney Crown Repair
Repairing the concrete slab that caps the top of the chimney, so water stops soaking into the masonry from the top.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Fixing cracked crowns, failing mortar, loose brick, leaky flashing and damaged flue tiles, matched to what an inspection actually finds.
Learn more
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(908) 867-1003
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