Side flashing
Side flashing is rebuilt piece by piece with the shingles with every piece lapped correctly.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Robbinsville, NJ
Leaks at the roof line in Robbinsville usually come from flashing that has pulled loose, rusted through or been patched with tar, so the joint sheds water the way it was designed to. Dial (609) 765-0143 to talk with a local chimney sweep about the flashing.
The joint where a chimney passes through the roof is one of the most leak-prone spots on any house, and flashing is what keeps it dry. A chimney and a roof never move together perfectly, so the flashing is made of separate overlapping pieces rather than one solid seal. Over time, sealant dries out, nails back out, metal rusts and the counter flashing pulls out of the mortar joints.
Proper flashing has a few distinct parts. Along the sides, individual step flashing pieces are layered with the shingles, while counter flashing is let into the mortar joints and lapped over them. The low side gets an apron, and the high side gets a back pan or, on wider chimneys, a cricket that splits the water around the chimney.
Before the visit, a little information speeds things up. Note whether the stain is on the uphill or downhill side of the chimney, whether it leaks in every rain or only in heavy storms, and when the roof was last replaced. Also mention any tar or caulk patches you can see from the ground, since repeated patching usually means the flashing itself has failed.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Robbinsville chimney sweep may also recommend chimney leak repair or chimney waterproofing.
Dealing with this in Robbinsville, NJ right now? Call (609) 765-0143 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The flashing repair process
The goal is a joint that sheds water without relying on sealant.
Check the flashing
Each part of the flashing is inspected, along with the condition of the surrounding roofing. The roof deck under the flashing is checked for soft spots.
Test for leaks
A water test may be used to confirm the flashing is really the problem. It makes sure the repair matches the actual source.
Remove old patches
Failed sealant and damaged flashing come off so the new work starts on a clean, sound surface. Any rotted decking found underneath is replaced before new flashing goes on.
Weave in new flashing
New step flashing is installed piece by piece along the sides, interwoven with each course of shingles. A front apron and a waterproof underlayment complete the lower layers.
Seal into the mortar
The top layer is set into the masonry itself, overlapping the step flashing below. Copper and coated steel are common choices, since bare aluminum can corrode where it 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. It keeps debris and ice from building up behind the chimney.
What is included
Types of flashing repair
Cap flashing
Counter flashing that has pulled out of the mortar is reset into a fresh reglet which closes the most common gap.
Tar patch removal
Layers of roofing cement and caulk from earlier patch jobs are removed and the joint is flashed properly.
Chimney saddles
Missing or failed crickets are built or rebuilt and flashed to split water and snow around the chimney.
Apron flashing
The lower apron is reset over the shingles to keep the front edge watertight.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Robbinsville, 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. Replacement means removing everything down to the roof deck and installing new step flashing, counter flashing, an apron and, where needed, a cricket. 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 Robbinsville 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 Robbinsville, many chimney leaks trace back to flashing that was patched with tar instead of replaced. Homes in Robbinsville and nearby towns like Hamilton Square, Yardville, Groveville and Hightstown see the same seasonal cycle of heat, cold, rain and snow that loosens counter flashing and dries out sealant, and fixing it before the decking rots keeps the repair small.
For chimney flashing repair in Robbinsville, NJ or nearby towns like Hamilton Square, Yardville, Groveville and Hightstown, call (609) 765-0143 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Robbinsville
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. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. That is why chimney cleaning in Robbinsville is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Robbinsville know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney flashing repair
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. Wide chimneys block a lot of runoff, and without a cricket that water sits against the flashing. For wider chimneys that do not sit on the ridge, a cricket is usually required by code.
How do I know if my chimney flashing is leaking?
The most common sign is a water stain on the ceiling or wall right next to the chimney, or wet wood beside the chimney in the attic. Where the water appears is a clue: the firebox suggests the top of the chimney, and the ceiling beside it suggests flashing. A controlled water test settles it.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
Doing it with the new roof is the smart move in most cases. Since step flashing is layered with the shingles, replacing it later means disturbing the new roof. Old flashing reused under a new roof often leaks within a few years.
Should I repair or replace my chimney flashing?
What the metal looks like decides that. When only the counter flashing has come loose, resetting it is often enough. If it is rusted through, badly bent or buried under old tar, replacement is the better value.
Why does my chimney flashing keep leaking after it was sealed?
Caulk and roofing tar only seal the surface, and they crack and pull loose as the chimney and roof expand and contract. The real issue is usually the flashing layers underneath, not the bead on top. It is also possible the water is entering higher up, at the crown or through the brick, and only showing at the flashing.
More questions? Call (609) 765-0143
Other services that may help
Chimney Leak Repair
Tracing chimney leaks to the real entry point and sealing it, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Waterproofing masonry chimneys with vapor-permeable repellents, not paint, applied after repairs so the brick sheds water but can still dry out.
Learn moreChimney Crown Repair
Sealing cracked chimney crowns or rebuilding crumbling ones, with a proper overhang and drip edge.
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
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesNeed chimney flashing repair in Robbinsville, NJ?
Call now for Robbinsville chimney flashing repair and help in the towns around it.
(609) 765-0143
Free to call. No forms to fill out.