Sussex County sits in the far northwest corner of the state, and it gets weather the rest of North Jersey mostly reads about. Higher elevations, longer winters, deeper snow and a freeze-thaw season that stretches from late fall into April all put more stress on roofing and masonry than in the suburbs closer to New York. Many of the county's homes are also on wooded or lakefront lots, which adds shade, debris and moisture to the mix.
The housing here is unusually varied. Lake communities such as Lake Mohawk in Sparta, Highland Lakes in Vernon and the shoreline of Lake Hopatcong grew from summer cottages into year-round neighborhoods, so one street can hold a 1930s bungalow with three additions and a 1990s colonial next door. Newton, the county seat, has a compact downtown of brick commercial buildings and Victorian-era houses. Each of these calls for a different approach to repairs and replacement.
Asset Roofing & Chimney is based in Cliffside Park in Bergen County and serves all of North New Jersey, including every municipality in Sussex County. We are licensed and insured, we handle residential and commercial work, and we specialize in shingle and flat roofing along with full chimney service. Estimates are free, and we can help you document storm damage when an insurance claim is involved.
Roofing in Sussex County
Steep-slope asphalt shingle roofs dominate Sussex County, which is the right choice for a climate that needs to shed heavy snow. The failures we look for here are driven by winter: ice dams along eaves and in valleys, lifted or cracked shingles from wind and ice, and leaks that only show up during a thaw. Wooded lots add their own problems, with moss and lichen growth on shaded north slopes and gutters packed with leaves and pine needles that back water up under the first courses.
Flat and low-slope roofs are common on Newton's downtown commercial buildings and on additions and porches at lake homes. These need drainage that works under snow load, and the membranes and flashings around parapets, hatches and rooftop equipment take a beating from standing meltwater. Metal and cedar roofs exist on rural and older homes across the county; while shingle and flat systems are our specialty, we can assess those roofs and advise you on repair options or a transition to a modern system.
Chimney work in Sussex County
Chimneys in Sussex County work hard. Wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves are a normal part of life in the lake communities and rural townships, and heavy seasonal use builds creosote quickly and wears out clay and metal liners. A chimney that was built for an occasional fire in a summer cottage is often serving a full-time home with a stove insert now, and the liner, crown and cap need to be sized and maintained for that load.
The county's freeze-thaw cycle is longer and harsher than in the rest of North Jersey, so cracked crowns, spalled brick and open mortar joints develop faster here. Chimneys on exposed ridges and lakefronts also lose caps and take wind-driven rain on the leeward side. We inspect, clean, repoint, rebuild, waterproof and reline chimneys, and we repair the step and counter flashing where chimneys meet roofs, which is one of the most common leak points on any Sussex County house.
