Apron flashing
The apron across the downhill face is replaced or resealed to keep the front edge watertight.
Masonry Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair Burlington, NJ
Leaks at the roof line in Burlington usually come from flashing that has pulled loose, rusted through or been patched with tar, before the leak rots the roof deck and framing. Call (609) 699-0240 to reach a local chimney sweep.
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. Because masonry and roof framing expand, contract and settle at different rates, a rigid seal will crack, which is why flashing is built in overlapping layers. Years of sun, freezing and thawing loosen the counter flashing, rust thin metal and dry out every bead of caulk.
A correctly flashed chimney uses several pieces that work together. 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. 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.
When you call about a flashing leak in Burlington, a few details help. It helps to know the age of the roof, which side of the chimney the stain is on and whether it only leaks during heavy rain or snowmelt. 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 Burlington, NJ can go hand in hand with chimney leak repair and chimney waterproofing.
Dealing with this in Burlington, NJ right now? Call (609) 699-0240 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Burlington.
Call nowThe process
The flashing repair process
The goal is a joint that sheds water without relying on sealant.
Look at every side
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
Flashing leaks can be confused with crown, cap or brick leaks, so other sources are ruled out. That keeps you from paying for new flashing when the leak is somewhere else.
Clear the old work
The technician strips off old roofing cement and corroded pieces down to the roof deck. Soft or rotted sheathing under the old flashing is repaired first.
Side flashing
Step flashing goes in one piece per shingle course, so every piece overlaps the one below. An apron goes across the front, and an underlayment membrane is often added around the base for extra protection.
Cut a reglet
The top layer is set into the masonry itself, overlapping the step flashing below. The metal is chosen to last, with copper or coated steel used where the flashing meets mortar.
Build a saddle
Where water pools behind the chimney, a cricket, also called a saddle, is built to shed it. That removes the spot where water sits and soaks into the flashing.
What is included
Flashing work a chimney sweep handles
Fixing old patches
Failed tar patches are stripped and replaced with real flashing before new metal goes on.
Chimney saddles
Missing or failed crickets are built or rebuilt and flashed to split water and snow around the chimney.
Cap flashing
Loose counter flashing is replaced and set into the masonry instead of being held on with caulk.
Side flashing
Side flashing is rebuilt piece by piece with the shingles so water runs down the roof instead of under it.
Related service
Chimney Flashing Replacement Burlington, 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. Many roofers reuse old chimney flashing when they replace shingles, which is a common reason new roofs leak at the chimney.
In Burlington, the easiest moment to replace chimney flashing is while the roof is already torn off. 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
In Burlington, flashing tends to fail first on older roofs and on chimneys that sit below a long run of roof. Homes in Burlington and nearby towns like Florence, Beverly, Roebling and Bordentown 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 Burlington, NJ or nearby towns like Florence, Beverly, Roebling and Bordentown, call (609) 699-0240 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, which is how cracks, loose bricks and leaks start. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. Most homeowners in Burlington, NJ schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Burlington and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Flashing Repair questions
Why did caulking my chimney flashing not stop the leak?
Sealants dry out in the sun and split in the cold, so a leak patched with tar usually comes back. 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.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
Replacing it during a reroof is strongly recommended. 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?
The answer depends on how much of the flashing is still sound. 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.
What is a chimney cricket?
Also known as a saddle, a cricket is a small roof section behind the chimney that diverts runoff to either side. 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.
What are the signs of bad chimney flashing?
Stains beside the chimney, dark wood in the attic and loose or corroded metal at the roof line are the usual giveaways. Water inside the fireplace points higher up, while water along the chimney chase or ceiling points to the roof joint. Testing with a hose confirms which part is leaking.
More questions? Call (609) 699-0240
Often needed together
Chimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, 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
Repairing the concrete slab that caps the top of the chimney, so water stops soaking into the masonry from the top.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Repairs for the masonry, crown, flashing and flue of a damaged chimney, matched to what an inspection actually finds.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Burlington chimney sweep about chimney flashing repair
Call (609) 699-0240 to talk to a chimney sweep serving Burlington, NJ.
(609) 699-0240
Free to call. No forms to fill out.