1. Drip Edge
Along your roof’s edges (eaves), drip edge flashing is necessary to prevent water from an overfilled gutter from pushing its way up the edge of the roof underneath the shingles. Water can also circle the last shingle or come in during a sideways rain to get up your roof’s edge if its not protected by an L-bend style run of metal flashing.
The first victim when you go without drip edge is your wood fascia board, which can rot out or mold. But water can also destroy the roof deck and get inside your home to ruin drywall (and more) absent drip edge.
2. Valley Flashing
After laying down the felt underlayment over the whole roof deck, various types of flashing will be installed before putting the asphalt shingles down. Valleys are those areas of the roof where two sections of roof meet at a joint and form an angled dip.
Valleys are the number one area where shingles will erode and roof leaks will happen if valley flashing is not installed in them. This flashing comes in a V or W shape. It runs all the way down to the drip edge, which it should overlap slightly. Nails are to be placed on the edges of the valley flashing (never in the middle), and all seams must be sealed with roof cement.
3. Vent Pipe Flashing
This is a special type of flashing that fits snugly over round pipes that pass through your rooftop. It is cylindrical with a flange at the bottom that lies flat to the roof.
Since vents are a major weak point for roof leaks when left unprotected, you really can’t afford to go without vent pipe flashing around all pipes/flues protruding out of your roof.
4. Step Flashing
If your home has a chimney, it will need step flashing around it to keep water moving past it where it touches the roof. Sometimes, step flashing is used around skylights and other roof features as well.
With step flashing, you are dealing with a “scale-like” arrangement of flashing pieces that tightly overlap each other and slip under each course of shingles, as they ascend the roof. Galvanized roof nails and roofing cement under each flashing “step” keeps the flashing in place and prevents water from sneaking under it.
The upper sides of step flashing can be laid flush to the chimney side and cemented to the brick or stone attractively with roof cement that follows its staircase-like upper edges.
You can get flashing in various metals, but it must always be rust-proof. And there are also different thicknesses and grades available that offer various levels of wind resistance.
Depending on the build of your roof, you may need all four types of roofing flashing mentioned above. For quality roofing and flashing installation and/or or repairs in Central Florida, contact Sheegog Contracting today!
