A leaky roof is an incredibly dangerous concept. First, there’s the issue of attic and ceiling damage. Then, there’s the likelihood that interior mold and mildew might appear, which leads to all sorts of unpleasant smells and health concerns. Other than this, water damage (if close to appliances or outlets) can increase the fire damage. Not to mention the slip and fall hazard and compromised structural integrity that is always a present danger. Overall, if your roof is leaking, you first have to find a problem and then come up with an adequate solution. One of them is flashing your roof and here are a couple of things you need to know about this method.
Flashing is a concept of covering the method that involves sealing joints on your roof in order to prevent leaking. Even though shingles don’t allow for water to seep in, the places where they meet usually leave some gaps, which is more than enough for water to move through. These quantities of water don’t have to be substantial in order to find their way inside of your household, you see the drop-by-drop situation can be just as harmful and devastating, which is why flashing should be your top priority.
There are several different types of flashing that you need to understand before you decide that one or another is optimal for your roof. First, there’s continuous flashing, also known as apron flashing. This is virtually a long, single piece of metal that’s meant to carry all the water towards your guttering system. In other words, this is the main reason why specialists like those from Flash Roof Plumbing handle gutters, downpipes and soak wells, at the same time as roof flashing – it’s all a part of a bigger system. Other than continuous flashing, you also have base flashing, counter-flashing, and step flashing, all of which have their own protective properties.
The general rule is that you need to apply the flashing to any area that’s seen as “critical” or a “weak spot” of your roof. First of all, you need to protect any joint in your shingles, where the traditional overlapping isn’t enough to cover the areas. Particularly problematic places are the ones around a chimney. Here, using the traditional continuous flashing isn’t enough and you might need to use two smaller parts of flashing for the task. Also, different areas of the roof require a different type of flashing.
The last thing worth discussing is the number of materials in use when it comes to roof flashing. In general, people who want a cheap solution usually go for galvanized steel, however, the downside of this option is the fact that the material itself is not particularly durable. Lead is also a popular choice (not expensive and relatively easy to work with), however, there are some health implications which is why people tend to avoid it. In general, aluminum and copper are probably the best choice and, as such, something that you have to go for.
The very last thing you need to understand is the fact that the need for flashing may be universal but the type of flashing and the complexity of the project mostly depend on the situation that you have on your roof. Do you have any skylights, chimneys or roof windows? What is your general layout of the roof and how old is the roof itself? Only after answering these several questions will you be able to know for sure what is your best course of action.
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