What the recap found
New Jersey's August 2026 summary, published September 8 by the state's weather network at Rutgers, put statewide precipitation at 7.36 inches, 2.79 inches above the 1991 to 2020 average and the 13th wettest August on record. It was the second straight month of above-average rainfall statewide, the first back-to-back run since March and April 2024.
Flash flooding came in waves. August 2 and 3 brought water rescues in Hawthorne and urban flooding in Paterson. August 5 hit Middlesex and Union counties, with a rescue in Rahway. On August 20, Estell Manor measured 5.94 inches, and on August 27 and 28 heavy rain washed out a stretch of US 322 in Mullica Hill and trapped vehicles in Keyport, Sayreville and Linden. Eleven stations recorded 2 inches of rain in one hour, the same count as in July.
Brick holds water longer than people expect
Brick and mortar are porous. In a dry summer they take on a little water in a storm and dry out within days. After two months of repeated downpours, older masonry, especially soft early brick and lime mortar common in prewar homes, may not get the chance. The chimney is the most exposed masonry on the house, catching rain on four faces and the top.
Signs of a saturated chimney include white salt deposits on the brick, called efflorescence, dark patches that stay after the rest of the wall dries, green growth on the north face, and a damp, musty smell inside near the fireplace.
Soaked masonry affects the inside of the chimney too. A flue that has taken on water from the top, or through the brick, can leave rust on a steel damper, stain the smoke chamber and soften the mortar between clay liner tiles. If the fireplace smelled damp or sour during August, that is a sign water is reaching the flue.
Why it matters going into winter
Water in masonry is not a problem until it freezes. When it does, it expands inside the pores and joints and pushes them apart. A chimney that enters fall already wet faces that pressure from the first hard frost. That is how a sound-looking crown develops cracks over one winter, and how brick faces start to flake and fall in spring.
Heavy, wind-driven rain also finds flashing gaps and crown cracks quickly. A stain that first appeared during one of the August storms is likely to grow, not fade.
Fixing the path, then protecting the brick
The order of work matters. First the water entry points are repaired: crown cracks sealed or the crown rebuilt with a proper overhang, open joints repointed, flashing reset or replaced, a cap fitted. Only once the masonry has dried and the leaks are closed does a breathable, vapor-permeable water repellent make sense. Sealing a wet chimney with the wrong coating can trap moisture inside and make spalling worse.
Want a professional look? See our chimney waterproofing service, or call (844) 468-2410 for a free written estimate.
