Whether you're hiring a roof specialist or doing it yourself, here's what you need to know about roof flashing installation.
When it comes to maintaining your roof, one of the most important elements to remember is the flashing. Flashing plays a huge part in keeping your house safe and secure from water leaks, mould contamination, building rot, and even structural collapse. You may think that such a minor part of your roof is insignificant, but ignoring your flashing’s scheduled repair or maintenance can have dire consequences.
If you don’t remember the last time you had your roof flashing looked at, it may be time to look into scheduling a check-up with your trusted roofing contractor. Of course, it would be better if you also have the know-how on how flashing works and how it’s maintained. To help you get started, we’ve prepared a guide to roof flashing repair and installation in NSW.
What is roof flashing?
Roof flashing is a thin material that roofers use to direct the flow of water away from critical areas of your house or building roof. Usually made from galvanised steel, it is often placed wherever the plane of a roof meets a vertical surface like a dormer or a wall. You install flashing to surround special areas on your roof like skylights, chimneys, and vents.
Common Types of Roof Flashing
There are heaps of roof flashing types available, and the one you should choose depends on the function you require it for. To give you an idea of what type of flashing you should have for your house or building, here are some of the most common types of flashing available in Australia:
Valley Flashing
This type of flashing is made from a sheet of metal, and it is usually pre-painted to match the colour of the roof’s shingles. The valley flashing is often used and fastened on open valleys.
Skylight Flashing
You need to make sure that water can’t get in around your skylights. Installing flashings around the skylight area will solve that problem. Sometimes, skylights will already have complementary flashing, but there are times when repairs or maintenance are necessary. When that happens, it’s better to reach out to your roofing contractor so that you can select the right type of flashing based on your need.
Kickout Flashing
This type of flashing directs water into the gutter, away from the wall. It sits between the gutter and the step flashing.
Drip Edges
Drip edges are flashings made from thin metal placed at the edge of the roof. This type of flashing is used to have the water drip off the roof while preventing damage in a home or causing a leak.
Nowadays, there are pre-made flashing pieces you can purchase. However, most roofing professionals cut their own roof flashing from sheet metal in order to tailor-fit the flashing to their clients’ home.
If you are planning to install flashing yourself, you should be careful with your selection. Make sure that you get a pre-made flashing that’s built specifically for roofs. That way, you will be able to avoid breakage due to incompatibility.
Repairing Your Roof’s Flashing
There are several ways to repair roof flashing, depending on the issue you are addressing and the materials you are repairing. If you’re planning to repair your roof’s flashing yourself, here are some things you should know:
Small corroded spots or small holes in the flashing
If you see any corroded spots or small holes in your roof’s flashing, you should repair them as soon as possible. Thankfully, for holes up to 2cms across, this issue is easy to solve. All you have to do is plug pinholes with roofing cement and fix the holes with a patch that’s made from the similar material as your flashing.
Extreme flashing corrosion
If your roof’s flashing is badly-corroded, a simple repair may not be enough. You might need to completely replace your corroded flashing with a new one. To do that, remove a few shingle rows and old flashings and add the new one. You should bring back the shingles you moved once you’re done.
Loose drip edging
If you think your current drip edging has become loose, you should reseal it right away. Resealing is quite easy. Just make sure that you seal the flashing beneath the single and refrain from sealing the drip edge along the eaves.
When repairing roof flashing, make sure to use high-quality materials and ensure you do a good and thorough repair job. Otherwise, the hard work and money you’ve put into repairing your flashing will be wasted.
Tips in Maintaining Your Flashing
Know more about flashing maintenance by reviewing the top tips indicated below:
Locate leaks
When doing flashing maintenance, one of the first things you should do is locate any possible leaks. You would usually have an idea of this already if you encounter water leak issues with your chimney, skylights, or other parts of your home.
Lock down your flashing as tight as you can
Over time, your flashing may become loose. That usually happens when the screws anchoring it become loose or when the metal around the edges of the hole wears away. To solve this issue, simply buy the same screws as your flashing and screw them back tightly. Cover the screws with roofing cement immediately after.
Re-caulk the flashing of your chimney
Your flashing is usually attached to your chimney’s mortar. Over time, that mortar can be damaged or destroyed. In order for it to remain effective, it will need to be replaced carefully.
Get top-quality flashing and roofing materials from Sydney Roof & Building Supplies
We always recommend you get the highest-quality materials possible for your home repairs. After all, your home should be your greatest investment. If you have roofs that need repair, do not hesitate to check our catalogue of items. We have heaps of available flashing materials for you, all with their own set of features.
Get high-quality roofing supplies from only here at SRBS. Call us on 02-8090-3483 or email us at mark@srbs.com.au or at marie@srbs.com.au to know more.
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