Leaks where the roof meets a chimney or a wall
Chimney Flashing Repair in Montville, NJ
Chimney flashing repair in Montville, NJ deals with the seam where a roof meets brick: metal that has lifted, sealant that has cracked, a gap that lets rain in. Say where the stain sits and when it shows: call (862) 430-2399.
What you might be seeing
- A stain on a ceiling or wall close to the chimney
- A dark line of old tar or caulk smeared along the brick
- Metal at the base of the chimney that has lifted, rusted or gone missing
- A gap you can see between the brick and the roof
- Damp boards or insulation around the chimney in the attic
Looks from the yard and the attic hatch
Every look below is from the yard, an upstairs window or the attic hatch. None of it needs a ladder.
- Stand in the yard with binoculars and study the metal where the chimney meets the roof. Lifted, rusted or missing pieces are what to describe.
- Note any dark smears of tar or caulk along the seam. They can cover older repairs.
- From the attic, shine a flashlight at the boards and insulation around the chimney, looking for stains or damp.
- Photograph the stain inside and the seam outside. The National Park Service advises checking flashing yearly for gaps, cracks or missing pieces.
The visit
What the roofer can look at
- Call (862) 430-2399, explain where the stain sits and when it appears, and the contractor can arrange a visit.
- The roofer can look at the metal from above: the step pieces along the sides and the counter-flashing cap over them.
- Layers of old tar and caulk get examined, since the Park Service describes sealant-reliant repairs that lasted only a few years.
- The brick and the mortar joints where the metal sits come next.
- Options include re-sealing and replacing pieces. Trade guidance describes tucking the upper pieces into the mortar joints so they lap over base flashing nailed to the roof deck.
- The paperwork question closes the visit: chimney masonry and roof covering can be separate questions, so the town office has the answer for your address.
Back off and get help if
- Smoke or a burning smell comes from the fireplace or flue: step outside and call 911 from there.
- A power line is down or dangling close to the house: back off to 30 feet or beyond and call 911 or JCP&L at 888-544-4877.
- A ceiling beside the chimney bulges or sags: water may be pooled behind the drywall, so clear the room below and call 911.
- The chimney can only be reached from a wet, icy or steep roof: stay on the ground, and call 911 if anyone falls.
Questions for the roofer
What to ask about metal and mortar
What metal is proposed? Will the upper pieces be set into the mortar joints, or will they be sealed on the surface? Which pieces get replaced, and which are kept?
The Park Service prefers traditional metal flashing installed with mortar over sealants, so the answers tell you which tradition the roofer follows.
What moves the size of the job
What changes a chimney flashing job
The size and height of the chimney and how many of its sides meet the roof. The condition of the brick and the mortar joints where the metal sits. The pitch of the roof around it.
A second chimney, a dormer wall or a vent stack adds more flashing to look at on the same visit.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How urgent is a leak at the chimney on your number out of ten?
At 8 to 10, smoke or a burning smell comes from the flue, a ceiling bulges or a wire is down. Get out or clear the room, then call 911 (JCP&L for a wire). At 4 to 7, the stain returns with each rain, so call (862) 430-2399 in the week ahead. At 1 to 3, a faint mark that has not grown: photograph it and keep watching.
What is the difference between step flashing and counterflashing?
The National Park Service describes step flashing at the joint between roof and chimney, with the counter-flashing as the upper piece. A common failure is the upper piece letting go while the step pieces below stay in place.
Why does a bead of caulk stop keeping water out?
The Park Service warns against relying on caulks and sealants where metal flashing can do better, and describes sealed-on repairs that lasted only a few years. Sealant also hides what the metal underneath is doing.
How often does flashing get a look?
The Park Service says yearly. The asphalt roofing trade group calls flashings the most vulnerable points on a roof, and the federal high-wind shingle guide says to pay close attention to roof-to-wall flashing.
Does chimney flashing work reach Towaco, Pine Brook, Boonton and Lake Hiawatha?
Yes, along with Montville. See Towaco roofing, Pine Brook roofing, Boonton roofing and Lake Hiawatha roofing. Call (862) 430-2399 and name the street. If you rent, the landlord goes first.
Before you call
What to point out about the stain
Where the stain sits compared with the chimney: beside it, below it, in the attic around it. After which rain it showed, and whether it has dried between storms.
Photos from inside and outside help. Call (862) 430-2399 and describe the seam the way you see it from the yard.
Habits that cost more
Why caulk alone lets rain back in
A bead over a gap covers the problem without replacing the metal.
The Park Service describes repairs of that kind lasting only a few years.
A thick smear of tar looks like a repair but hides how the metal sits underneath.
Ignoring a faint stain.
Flashing joints are the places the trade group calls most vulnerable, so a small mark can be the first sign.
The job in pictures
Step pieces and the cap above them
The picture shows a roofer pressing a metal piece into place beside a brick chimney. Step flashing is cut in small pieces that overlap, one for each course of shingles, and each piece turns up the brick.
Counter-flashing is the cap above them. Fine Homebuilding's guide, hosted by the Building America Solution Center, describes tucking its upper edge into the mortar joints so it laps over the base flashing.
Paperwork, briefly
Chimney work and town paperwork
State rules put re-covering a one- or two-family detached house in the ordinary-maintenance category. Chimney masonry is another question, and an office that handles construction can say which side a job falls on.
Montville's Construction Department is at 195 Changebridge Road, and every town's office is listed on the rules page.
Before you call
Keep the street address, what you noticed and the roof's age close by, then call (862) 430-2399. If you rent, your landlord decides on roof work, so that conversation comes first. Served: Montville, Towaco, Pine Brook, Boonton and Lake Hiawatha.
