Chimney Services in Cedar Grove, NJ

What the numbers suggest for chimneys in Cedar Grove

Census estimates put about 45% of Cedar Grove's 5,147 housing units in the 1940 to 1959 range, with another 18% from 1960 to 1979. A chimney from those years has outlasted several roofs. Every reroof is a chance to renew the flashing where brick meets shingles, and also a chance for that joint to be patched over instead of done properly.

About 15% of units were built in 2000 or later, and 12% are single-family attached homes such as townhouses. Some newer homes and townhouses use factory-built chimneys inside framed chases, where the top is a metal chase cover and the roof joint is detailed like a wall.

Heating is overwhelmingly gas, at about 87% of occupied homes, while fuel oil and wood are each near zero. In many houses, then, the gas furnace and water heater flue is the chimney's daily job and the fireplace flue sees occasional use. The figures describe the township as a whole and are no finding about any particular house.

A roof replacement, step by step, from the chimney's side

1. Look at the chimney before the roof is scheduledIf the crown, the top courses of brick or the cap need work, doing it first keeps mortar and debris off a brand-new roof and gives the new flashing sound brick to meet.
2. Settle who owns the flashingAgree in writing whether the roofer or the chimney contractor replaces the step flashing and the counterflashing. Leaks tend to start in the gap between two trades.
3. Ask about a cricketOn the uphill side of a wide chimney, a cricket (also called a saddle) steers water around the stack. If yours has none, the reroof is the practical moment to discuss one.
4. Ask how the counterflashing is securedCounterflashing is meant to be set into a cut mortar joint and to lap over the step flashing below it. Flashing held on only by sealant ages faster than the shingles around it.
5. Check the result after the first hard rainLook at the finished joint in the roofer's photos or from the ground, and check the attic side of the chimney for damp wood or stains.

Our guide Replacing your roof? Plan the chimney too goes further, and chimney flashing repair describes the work itself.

What the attic can tell you about the roof joint

The attic side of a chimney is one of the few places a homeowner can safely look for trouble at the roof joint. With a flashlight, look where the chimney passes through the roof deck. Dark stains on rafters or sheathing beside the brick, soft or discolored wood, or rusty nails nearby suggest water has been getting past the flashing or through the masonry above. Note what you find and when, especially after a storm, and share it with whoever inspects the chimney. We check the attic and roof when it is safe and accessible, and use controlled water testing when the source of a leak is unclear. Please do not climb onto the roof to look for yourself.

Townhouses and framed chases at reroof time

If your home has a framed chase with a metal top, the roof crew flashes around the chase the way it would around a dormer wall. The chase cover on top is a separate part. A rusted or dished cover can send water down inside the chase however good the new shingles are, so have it looked at during the same project. In attached homes, find out from the association who is responsible for the roof and chimney before anyone is hired.

Local questions

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024), via Census Reporter