Counter flashing
Loose counter flashing is secured where the wall and roof meet.
Roof Repair
Flashing Repair Cranford, NJ
Most leaks at walls, dormers and roof edges in Cranford come down to flashing, and a roofer can fix it by replacing the failed metal rather than caulking over it, with the wall sheathing checked for hidden rot. Dial (908) 562-6887 to talk with a local roofer about the flashing.
Shingles handle the open field of a roof; flashing handles the joints. Along a sidewall, individual step flashing pieces interleave with every course of shingles, counter flashing covers their tops, and a kickout diverter at the lower end turns water away from the siding. Each of those pieces has one job, and when it fails, water finds the gap.
A failed kickout or step flashing tends to rot wall sheathing long before it stains a ceiling. A missing kickout is a classic example: water running down the roof edge pours behind the siding at the bottom of the wall, and the rot shows up later as soft trim, stained siding or a damp window below. By the time it is visible, the repair may include some siding and wall sheathing too.
Caulk is not flashing. Sealant smeared where flashing should be dries and cracks in a few seasons, and it can trap water instead of shedding it. Proper flashing sheds water by gravity and lapping, so it keeps working even after any sealant ages.
Many flashing repair calls in Cranford also turn up a need for chimney flashing repair or roof leak repair.
Dealing with this in Cranford, NJ right now? Call (908) 562-6887 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
The flashing repair process
Good flashing work is mostly about the order things overlap.
Inspect the joint
The roofer checks the joint from the roof and the attic, looking for missing pieces, rust, face nails and caulk hiding a gap. Soft siding or stained trim below the joint suggests the wall needs a look too.
Open the joint
To replace step flashing properly, a few courses of siding and the shingles along the wall are carefully removed. New flashing has to tuck behind the housewrap, which means opening the wall a little.
Replace the pieces
Fresh step flashing goes in course by course with the shingles, starting with a kickout at the eave. Nails stay on the horizontal leg, high enough to be covered by the next shingle.
Cover the top
The weather barrier laps over the step flashing, and siding is reinstalled with clearance above the roof surface. That clearance keeps the siding from soaking up water at the roof line.
Check drip edge
Damaged drip edge is renewed so water drips clear of the fascia. The lap order differs at eaves and rakes, and getting it right matters.
What is included
Common flashing repairs
Edge flashing
Edge metal is renewed along the roof perimeter so water drips clear of the fascia.
Sidewall flashing
Loose or rusted step flashing is renewed and woven with new shingles.
Headwall flashing
Headwall metal at the top of a slope is replaced with proper laps over the shingles.
Kickout flashing
A kickout is added where a roof edge ends against a wall which protects the wall below.
Related service
Roof Flashing Repair Cranford, NJ
The scope of a flashing repair depends on the joint and on how much damage the water has done. A lifted counter flashing on a masonry wall may only need resetting into the mortar joint, while a leaking sidewall usually means new step flashing, new shingles along the wall and some siding work. Ask the roofer which kind of repair your joint needs.
The metal used should suit the house. Aluminum is common and easy to form, galvanized steel is stiffer, and copper lasts a very long time; aluminum should not sit directly against fresh mortar or certain treated lumber, which can corrode it. Mixing copper with aluminum or galvanized metal in contact can cause corrosion, so the roofer matches the metal to what is already there.
Related service
Roof Valley Flashing Cranford, NJ
Valleys are the gutters of the roof surface, collecting water from both sides. An open valley uses a strip of metal, often a W-shaped valley pan with a center rib, with the shingles cut back on each side; a closed valley has the shingles woven or cut across it with no metal showing. Both need ice and water shield underneath, centered in the valley.
Leaves and needles that pile up in a valley hold water and wear the shingles or rust the metal. Uncut shingle corners can catch water and direct it under the roofing. Valley repair usually means removing the shingles along the valley, replacing the membrane and metal and reshingling with the right cuts.
Local help
Flashing Repair Near Me
Flashing repairs in Cranford are common on houses with dormers, additions and second-story walls rising above lower roofs. From Cranford out to neighboring towns such as Garwood, Westfield, Kenilworth and Roselle Park, older homes often have rusted or face-nailed flashing, while newer ones sometimes lack kickouts entirely, which is why roofers pay extra attention to walls, dormers and additions.
Searching for flashing repair near me from Cranford or Garwood, Westfield, Kenilworth and Roselle Park? Call (908) 562-6887 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
Roofs in this climate
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Cranford is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Cranford and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about flashing repair
Why does my roof need kickout flashing?
It is a bent piece of flashing at the lower end of a sidewall joint. It throws runoff away from the wall and into the gutter. Missing kickouts are a common cause of hidden wall rot.
What are the signs of bad roof flashing?
Leaks near walls, dormers, skylights or valleys are the strongest sign. Outside, look for rust, gaps, lifted metal, nails through the face and heavy caulk along the joint. Rot at the base of a sidewall suggests water is getting behind the siding. Call (908) 562-6887 to reach a roofer.
Will caulk fix leaking flashing?
Sealant is a short-term patch for flashing, not a lasting repair. Over time, it hardens, splits and lets the joint leak again, often worse than before. A proper repair replaces the metal so it sheds water without depending on sealant.
Is it possible to fix flashing without a new roof?
Flashing repair is a routine job on roofs that are otherwise sound. The work stays local to the joint, with new shingles woven in along it. On an old roof, it may be smarter to plan the flashing with a full replacement.
What is step flashing and why does it matter?
Step flashing is a series of small L-shaped pieces, one for each course of shingles along a wall. The overlap carries water down the wall joint and out onto the shingle surface. A long single strip sends water under the roofing, which is why step pieces are the standard.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6887
Other services that may help
Chimney Flashing Repair
Fixing leaks around the chimney with new flashing set into the mortar joints, so the ceiling beside the fireplace stays dry.
Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
Leak repairs that fix the entry point, not just the ceiling stain, so the stain on the ceiling stops growing.
Learn moreSkylight Repair
Skylight repair from the flashing on the roof to the glass and the frame, so the opening stays dry through every storm.
Learn moreRoof Vent Repair
Repairing cracked pipe boots, broken box vents, loose ridge vents, seized turbines and exhaust hoods, before a small crack soaks the attic.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Cranford roofer about flashing repair
Call (908) 562-6887 to talk to a roofer serving Cranford, NJ.