Having a strong roof over your head is a prerequisite to ensuring that your home and family are protected from the harsh weather conditions that areas of New Jersey experience. When you think about the process of building a house, one thing that probably comes to mind is the roofing material. But there are other parts of a roof as well that make it possible for it to protect your property.
These parts, also called roof components, are not much talked about, but without them, the roof’s performance is highly compromised. Today we will talk about one such component, roof flashing. You will get to know what this part is and how crucial a role it plays in your roofing system. Read on.
What is Roof Flashing?
When the roof is being installed there are some areas that are more vulnerable than others. Certain areas of roofs are especially prone to leaks because they’re exposed to all kinds of weather conditions, so they require extra protection.
Water or moisture can enter these areas and seep through the roof. To prevent this roof flashing was introduced.
Flashing is an essential part of any roofing system used for waterproofing roofs and walls. Roof flashing is a protective layer or a strip of material that covers these joints between roofing materials. It helps prevent water from entering the building structure and causing damage.
Roof Flashing Types
There are many types of roof flashing available in the market. Each one is used to cover a different area of your roof.
Continuous Flashing
As the word suggests, this is a type of flashing that is done with the help of a single, continuous metal strip. This is an important type of flashing that is often used to cover the base of the walls. This is also known as ‘apron’ flashing.
An apron flashing is a metal strip that runs along the bottom edge of a roof and attaches to the sides of the structure. It helps protect from rainwater that might leak through cracks or openings in your home’s walls. An apron flashing can be made from galvanized steel or aluminum.
Step Flashing
This is one of the most common types of flashing. Step flashing is named so because it is done step by step. It is used in the area where your home’s roof meets its sidewalls, giving a roof-to-wall cover. This type of flashing is installed in between the roof shingles.
Chimney Flashing
Almost every home in New Jersey has a chimney installed. Chimneys are tall vertical pipes made of metal or masonry that lead from the boiler or furnace to the outside of the building. Chimney flashing is a type of roof flashing that covers the chimney area of your home’s roof. Chimney flashing is designed to prevent water from seeping into your home through cracks in your chimney wall, which could cause damage over time like mold growth or structural collapse. However, this type of flashing doesn’t just protect against rain; it also protects against ice dams during winter.
Drip-Edge Flashing
Drip edge flashing is a popular way to prevent water from leaking into the roof of your house.
Drip edges come in many different styles and materials; some are made from metal while others are made from plastic. Be sure you choose the right one for your home.
Valley Flashing
Valley flashings protect the roofline from water penetration. They are installed in valleys where two roof planes meet and are often referred to as valley gutters. They can be made of metal or plastic, depending on the material of your roof. The most common type is a preformed metal flashing, which is bent at an angle to fit into a valley, then folded over and fastened down with nails or screws.
Skylight Flashing
To bring more natural light into their homes, many homeowners install a skylight. This not only helps to bring air and sunlight but also increases your home’s value. When you have a skylight, you need to make sure that it’s properly flashed. A skylight flashing is a metal or plastic piece that covers the joint between the roof and the skylight.
Skylight flashing is made from metal and can be painted to match your roof. If you want to keep things simple, then standard steel skylight flashing will do the trick. However, there are many premium custom options available in the form of copper.
Flashing Maintenance
Now you have seen the parts that need to be protected with flashing to protect your roof and home. Now let’s move on to the protection of the roof flashing itself. Over time, flashings can become corroded from exposure to the elements and lose their effectiveness. Thus it is very important to maintain your roof flashing to ensure that it is doing its work properly. This can be done by regular inspection.
To take care of roof flashing, you need to carry out an inspection, at least once a year. A roof inspection from a professional can help to check the viability of all the parts and catch the issues early if there are any.
Do You Require Roof Flashing?
From this blog, it is clear that roof flashing cannot be ignored. So whether you are replacing your roof or installing a new roof from scratch, make sure that you use the right flashing so that your roof can last longer without getting damaged from leaks.
If you are looking for roofing contractors that have the experience and expertise to install roof flashings, then you can contact Northkit Roofing. We are the best roofing contractors having a combined experience of more than 25 years. We can install all the roof flashing types. Contact us today at (973) 396-7416 and our team will be glad to help you.
