While they do a fantastic job protecting the rest of your residential roofing, shingles and metal roofing sheets may have difficulty keeping water out of seams. These areas must be covered with specially designed pieces of metal or rubber, known collectively as flashing. Here’s how it protects your roof and home from harmful water damage.

What Is Roof Flashing?

Flashing refers to any material that’s used to seal the joints and seams in your roof. For example, the valley where two slopes meet must be protected with a piece of flashing.

Seams like these are the most susceptible to water damage. To ensure the flashing meshes seamlessly with the roof, it’s important to have it installed by a certified professional.

What Types Are There?

Valley flashing is a metal piece used to guide rainwater down the seam between two roof slopes. Drip edge flashing is installed at the edge of the roof, near the fascia board, and it makes rainwater drip to the ground instead of soaking into the roof underlayment.

Vent flashing is made from rubber—it looks like a cone that’s trimmed and fitted around ventilation pipes to keep water out of these vulnerable seams. Step or continuous flashing is used where a roof meets a wall—for example, where an attached garage meets a two-story home.

How Long Will It Last?

If the flashing has been installed by a professional, it should be able to last as long as the residential roofing itself. However, there’s a chance that the flashing will fail. If you notice dampness in your attic or water spots on your ceiling, you should call a professional right away so that they can inspect your roof for failed flashing.

Do you need new flashing, residential roofing repairs, or a brand new roof? The team at Lasco Roofing & Sheet Metal in New Milford, CT, can help. In addition to residential roofing services, they offer flat roofing installation and repair for commercial facilities. To learn more about their services, visit their website or call (860) 355-8060 for a residential roofing inspection.