Chimney flashing repair in Kinnelon, NJ
Flashing a fieldstone chimney, where nothing is straight.
New flashing on a fieldstone chimney, cut in steps to follow the stone and sealed where it meets the joints.
FlueRite replaces chimney flashing in Kinnelon, the metal that seals the joint between the chimney and the roof, including on fieldstone chimneys where it has to follow irregular stone instead of straight brick courses. On this job we installed new flashing stepped to the shape of the stone and sealed it into the joints, so water runs over it and onto the roof instead of behind it.
- Location
- Kinnelon, NJ 07405
- Work done
- New chimney flashing, stepped to the stone and sealed
- Chimney
- Fieldstone
- Permit
- None required for flashing repair in NJ
- Season
- Fall 2026
Why flashing a stone chimney is different
On a brick chimney, the counter flashing is let into a straight mortar joint and cut in a clean line. Fieldstone has no straight lines. Every stone is a different size, the joints wander up and down, and the faces stand out at different depths.
That is why so many stone chimneys leak at the roofline. Flashing run in a straight line across the stone, or simply caulked to its face, leaves gaps behind the high and low spots that water finds within a season or two.
Two layers, working together
Step flashing sits under the shingles, one piece per course, bent up against the side of the chimney. It carries water running along the side of the chimney back out onto the shingles.
Counter flashing comes down from the chimney and laps over the step flashing, so water running down the face of the chimney lands on top of the metal instead of behind it. On a stone chimney, this is the part that has to be shaped to the stone.
Neither layer works alone. Step flashing without good counter flashing lets water in behind it, and counter flashing without step flashing has nothing to shed onto.
Kinnelon homes and stone chimneys
Kinnelon is wooded and hilly, with homes spread across Smoke Rise, the lake communities and the roads around Pyramid Mountain. Natural stone is a common look here, and plenty of houses have fieldstone chimneys or stone veneer that ties them into the landscape.
The tree cover matters too. Leaves and needles collect on the uphill side of a chimney, hold water against the flashing, and freeze there in winter. Flashing on a Kinnelon roof has to stand up to more standing water and debris than the same chimney would see in an open neighborhood.
How we flash a stone chimney
Cut in steps to the stone. The counter flashing is cut and bent in short steps that follow the joints between stones, rather than one long straight run.
Set into the joints, not onto the face. The top edge is tucked into the mortar joints and sealed there. Flashing that is only glued to the face of the stone peels away as the stone weathers.
Sealed at every step. Each step is sealed where it meets the stone, which is the white line you can see following the joints in the photo.
Woven in with the shingles. The step flashing goes in course by course with the shingles, so the two work as one system.
What leaking flashing looks like inside
Water from failed flashing usually shows up as a stain on the ceiling next to the fireplace, damp wood around the chimney in the attic, or peeling paint on the chimney breast. It often appears only in wind-driven rain, which makes it easy to blame the roof or the cap instead. If a leak lines up with the chimney, the flashing is the first place to look.
Flashing questions from Kinnelon homeowners
Can flashing be installed on a fieldstone chimney?
Yes. It takes more cutting and fitting than a brick chimney because the counter flashing has to follow the stone, but properly stepped and sealed flashing on fieldstone is just as watertight.
Why does my stone chimney only leak in heavy rain?
Wind-driven rain hits the chimney sideways and runs down the face of the stone into any gap behind the flashing. A light rain may never reach those gaps. That pattern points to the flashing more often than the roof.
Is caulk enough to fix chimney flashing?
Caulk on its own is a temporary patch. It fails as it weathers and pulls away from the stone. Sealant is part of a proper flashing job, but only on top of metal that is correctly lapped and set into the joints.
Should chimney flashing be replaced with a new roof?
It should at least be checked, and on an older chimney it usually makes sense to replace it while the shingles are off. Reusing tired flashing under brand new shingles is one of the most common causes of leaks on a new roof.
What metal is chimney flashing made from?
Usually aluminum or coated steel, and sometimes copper. Whichever is used, the step and counter flashing should be compatible so they do not corrode each other where they touch.
Do you serve all of Kinnelon?
Yes, including Smoke Rise and the lake communities, along with Butler, Bloomingdale, Montville and the rest of Morris County.
Leak by the chimney?
Book an inspection. We trace where the water is getting in, check the flashing, cap and crown, and tell you what actually needs fixing.
Leaking where the chimney meets the roof?
We flash brick and stone chimneys so water runs off the roof instead of into the house. Kinnelon, Smoke Rise, Butler and the rest of Morris County.
CSIA Certified · NJ HIC #13VH14202300 · Serving Kinnelon & Morris County