Chimney flashing is the layered metal system that keeps storm water out where masonry meets the roof plane. On South Brunswick homes it is the joint that leaks first, especially after a summer thunderstorm or when an ice dam pushes meltwater sideways.
We tear off the failed layers — apron flashing at the chimney base, step flashing woven into the shingle courses, counter-flashing set into the mortar — then rebuild with new metal, new underlayment, and a fresh sealant bead. Most jobs take a day.
On older farmhouses we often find rotted decking and corroded fasteners once the old metal comes off, so a small flashing repair can turn into a real roof repair. We tell you that before we quote a number, not after.
If you manage a building with a flat built-up roof section, we also apply reflective coating systems: silicone coatings, acrylic elastomerics, or polyurethane over a primer system.
GAF Unisil, Henry, and Tropical Roofing products all do the job when the membrane underneath is still sound.
- Underlayment goes beneath the flashing, so we replace the felt or synthetic underlayment rather than sealing over old tar paper.
- Drip edge at the eave and rake sheds water clear of the fascia and soffit, and it is cheap to reset while we are already up there.
- Ridge vent and soffit vent work as a pair; without ventilation, humid summer air condenses in the attic and rusts the flashing from below.
- Step flashing is woven into each shingle course against the chimney, and counter-flashing is set into the mortar joint with a sealant bead.
- Pipe flashing and the pipe boot around plumbing stacks crack from UV exposure and end-of-life wear, so we replace them on the same visit.
- A skylight, dormer, or valley all break the roof plane, and each one needs its own flashing detail rather than a smear of roof cement.
- Aluminum, architectural shingle, and three-tab shingle roofs take standard flashing; slate, clay tile, concrete tile, and cedar shake need hand-set metal that will not crack the tile.
- Metal panel and standing-seam panel roofs use exposed fasteners with washers, so one backed-out screw is one leak point.
- Bituminous membranes, modified bitumen, TPO, EPDM, and PVC membrane systems on flat porches need a primer system before any patch will hold.
- A built-up roof with tar and gravel, or an old roof layered with roofing felt and tar paper, often just needs a recover or overlay.
- Ice-and-water shield along the eave stops ice dam backup when snow and ice accumulation sits on the roof for weeks at a time.
- Rotted roof deck, OSB sheathing, plywood, or a waterlogged substrate has to be cut out and replaced; caulk will not fix decay.
- Truss, rafter, joist, and ridge beam damage shows up as sag or settle in the roofline, and it needs framing work before new shingles go on.
- On mansard and gambrel roofs, the verge and hip runs are where wind-driven rain gets behind the shingles first.
- A gable end, parapet, coping, or scupper on a commercial rooftop each has its own waterproofing and weatherproofing detail.
- Self-adhered membrane plus a bead of adhesive under the counter-flashing is what closes the gap that wind-driven rain searches for.
- We fasten metal with ring-shank nails and seal every lap, because smooth-shank nails back out after a few freeze-thaw winters.
- Roof pitch decides how much of the job comes off a ladder and how much comes off scaffold, and it changes the labor hours on the estimate.
- We measure the job in roofing squares and write a line-item estimate, so the material list matches what the crew actually installs.
- Purlins, battens, and counterbattens hold metal roofing off the decking so condensation drains instead of sitting on the fasteners.
- Gutter and downspout work belongs with flashing repair, because water the flashing sheds still has to leave the property.
- Algae-stained asphalt shingles and blistered or buckled field courses usually mean moisture is already inside the assembly.
- A wide overhang, canopy, or awning shades the wall on the north side, though it also traps debris against the flashing.
- A snow guard, roof anchor, and vapor barrier matter on steep pitches and cold attics, and we keep all three on the truck.
- We set the ladder or scaffold, clip into a safety harness, and run the nail gun, air compressor, pry bar, and roofing shovel all day.
- Insulation, attic fan, and coating decisions come after a roof inspection, because the order of the work matters more than the products.
- Hiring a roofing contractor who has worked slate and cedar is different from hiring a roofer who only hangs shingle.
