Flashing Your Roof

The unsung hero of the operation is roof flashing.

Flashing your roof.

What is the purpose of flashing on a roof. Roofing contractors install flashing thin strips of metal over joints and penetrations to prevent rainwater from infiltrating the underlayers through any gaps. Flashing can be made from several types of metal including copper aluminum galvanized steel and lead. Roof flashing is a thin layer of metal sheeting used to direct water away from seams and joints where moisture could penetrate the roof and cause water damage.

Roof joints are the point where slopes and roofing panels meet while penetrations are a term used for anything that is installed by drilling a hole in your roof. Roof flashing is a roll of thin metal. If the flashing is taken out of an area or damaged this can lead to a roof starting to leak even after just a few short years. Flashing is the key to a skylight that won t leak water into the roof cutting a hole in a perfectly water tight roof is asking for trouble and true to form skylights are notorious for.

However flashing generally does not last as long as the roof itself. It is normal to have the flashing replaced at least once between roof replacement appointments. Roof flashing is a thin material usually galvanized steel that professional roofers use to direct water away from critical areas of the roof wherever the roof plane meets a vertical surface like a wall or a dormer. The gibraltar galvanized drip edge flashing is madethe gibraltar galvanized drip edge flashing is made from reliable 28 gauge galvanized steel.

This drip edge flashing provides protection from water damage along the eaves and rake of a roof. During the roofing process it is rolled out into place and sealed. The water flowing across the tile will break down underlayment and shorten up the lifespan. The following are some of the types of flashing that you will find on a typical sloped roof.

With the help of underlayment roof flashing is required on your roof to keep water from getting underneath your shingles. Flashing is installed to surround roof features such as vents chimneys and skylights. Roof flashing is designed to keep the underlayment on your roof dry.