How To Install Roof Flashing On Metal Roof

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What is Roof Flashing, Why is it Of import, and How Can I Install It?

Roof flashing is a thin material, usually galvanized steel, that professional roofers utilise to direct water away from critical areas of the roof, wherever the roof plane meets a vertical surface similar a wall or a dormer. Flashing is installed to surround roof features, such as vents, chimneys and skylights. Water should run downwards the side of the flashing and be directed to the shingles instead of finding its way into the roof deck.

If there were no flashing against these walls, water could slowly drip into the fissure between the wall and the roof, and potentially into the home.

Damaged or improperly installed roof flashing, specially effectually the chimney, roof cricket or dormer, is 1 of the most common causes of roof leaks. Co-ordinate to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, improper roof flashing could lead to wood rot and even deck collapse. So, chances are, if you've been looking into your roof and its flashing, you have questions. What is roof flashing? How exercise y'all install roof flashing? What well-nigh repairing roof flashing? Yous can notice out here.

Roof Flashing

There are virtually every bit many types of roof flashing as there are parts of the roof! After all, each roof feature needs protection. These are the key types of roof flashing you need to empathise:

• Continuous flashing : Continuous flashing is likewise called "frock flashing" considering information technology acts a lot like an apron. Information technology'southward a long, single piece of metal that carries water down to the shingles below. Long pieces of continuous flashing volition have trouble flexing as the dwelling expands and contracts in the changing seasons. If left as is, it could break or warp and fail to continue water out. Therefore, long pieces accept built-in expansion joints so they can move with the home.
• Base flashing : Some roof features, such as chimneys, require ii pieces of flashing. This ensures that rain ever meets a flashing surface that directs information technology downwards. Plus, it is notoriously tough to install flashing around a chimney. In that location is another benefit to two-part flashing: When the roof materials naturally expand and contract with atmospheric condition changes, the two pieces can move, and then the whole system stays secure. The base of operations flashing (or apron flashing) is the bottom slice.
• Counter -flashing: Placed opposite to base flashing, or above base flashing, counter-flashing completes the two-part team.
• Step flashing : Stride flashing is a rectangular slice of flashing bent 90 degrees in the center. It is used for roof to wall flashing. Multiple pieces of the flashing will be installed in layers with shingles to ensure the water flows away from the wall. Acquire how to install it below.

Continuous copper flashing on a shingle roof

Types of roof flashing

• Skylight flashing : While some skylight manufacturers include flashing in their products, sometimes covering professionals have to create information technology or purchase it separately.
• Valley flashing : Open up valleys have metallic flashing to protect this critical area of the roof.
• Drip edges : The edge of the roof has sparse metal flashing that helps water drip off the roof without damaging the home or causing a leak.
• Kickout flashing : Roofing professionals need something to bridge the gap betwixt where step flashing ends and the gutter begins. Kickout flashing directs h2o away from the wall and into the gutter. Learn how to install kickout flashing below.

Skylight flashing

Drip edge

While there are premade flashing pieces you can purchase, many covering professionals will cut their own roof flashing from sheet metal. They'll use tinning snips to cut the sheets and curve them to the exact size they need while on the roof. However, if y'all walk into a store to buy your own flashing, exist careful. There are other types of premade flashing that are not made to be used on roofs and may interruption if you try to install them on a roof. For example, head flashing or cap flashing protects doors and windows from water.

Roof Flashing Sizes

If you intend to install or repair roof flashing, then you'll demand to pay attending to size. The flashing for your plumbing vent needs to exist large enough to environs the vent, so it should be just wider than the vent's diameter.

Further, your step flashing pieces need to exist 10 inches (254 mm) long and at least 2 inches (l mm) wider than the exposure of the shingle you're using. For example, three-tab shingles commonly have a five 5/8-inch (143 mm) exposure. Typically, 10- by 8-inch (253 mm x 203 mm) flashing is chosen. Those 8 inches are more than than enough to cover the exposure of typical shingles. The aforementioned size can be used to embrace the longer exposure on Nordic™ shingles.

However, if y'all were using IKO's Crowne Slate^TM, with a 10-inch (254 mm) exposure, yous'd need a x- by 12-inch (254 mm 10 304 mm) step flashing piece.

Roof Flashing Materials

In the past, covering professionals would use pb, or pb-coated materials, as flashing. However, roofing professionals in North America now prefer other materials:

• Aluminum : Aluminum flashing is easy for roofing professionals to form and is lightweight. However, aluminum must be coated if it is to be used with concrete and masonry, as plain aluminum reacts and degrades when it touches element of group i surfaces. In coastal areas, aluminum flashing should be coated even if it does not contact concrete or masonry, to preclude corrosion.
• Copper : Copper roof flashing is also malleable and takes soldering well. It's as well highly durable and has a long life. On the other manus, it does discolor into a patina, which some homeowners dislike, but others favor. You will still routinely find copper flashing around chimneys.
• Steel : Steel is usually the textile of choice for flashing. It's malleable, has aesthetic value and, when galvanized, is corrosion-resistant.

Building codes may demand your roofing professional use a specific textile for flashing. They may also listing a minimum thickness. Well-nigh building codes require 26-judge galvanized steel as a minimum. You should always check your local codes to be sure yous're post-obit them.

In fact, if you alive in Florida, you lot may find that your building codes call for a special flashing material, modified bitumen roofing tape:

• Modified bitumen roofing tape : Modified bitumen is a watertight, tough cloth. When made into a record, information technology can exist used to assistance roof flashing. The specific tape you use volition take to be approved by your building code and of a certain width.

Roof Flashing Sealant Types

When y'all install roof flashing, you will need to use a sealant. While covering professionals occasionally use nails when flashing, they must cull whether to nail to the roof plane or the vertical wall. If nailed to both, the flashing may deform under the pressure level from shifting brick or wood. When nailed just to the roof airplane or vertical wall, the flashing tin can stay in place while the other building materials expand and contract throughout the seasons.

Roofing cement : Roofing cement creates a waterproof seal. Roofing professionals usually utilise it with a trowel.

Roof Flashing Techniques

Before you larn how to install roof flashing, you need to understand that at that place are three master techniques, each suitable for dissimilar areas on the roof. You'll detect that some types of flashing correspond to a specific technique.

• Pace flashing : Step flashing is best for where the roof face meets a wall, for example, where a dormer projects out of the roof. In this spot, information technology'due south possible that water could period downwardly the wall and skid past the shingles into the building beneath. Footstep flashing ensures that water is directed away from the wall and ends up in the gutter. Information technology'southward installed in steps, with layers of shingles between, so that the water pours down each stride and downwardly the roof.
• Counter-flashing : Counter-flashing is often used to wink chimneys. It involves two pieces of flashing. The first, base flashing, sits around the bottom of the chimney. The second piece, the counter-flashing, is embedded into the masonry of the chimney. It sits over the base flashing to ensure water doesn't slip behind the base flashing. Construction professionals use counter-flashing for many other purposes, but information technology always involves a second slice of flashing set off from the showtime.
• Plumbing vent kick flashing : Vent flashing is a cylindrical piece of flashing that fits right around the vent. The shingles are installed over the base of operations or boot. The pinnacle of the boot forces water to run effectually the vent.

Pace flashing

Plumbing vent boot flashing

How to Install Roof Flashing

Disclaimer : Roof flashing should always be installed past professional roofers, who understand best practices, safety requirements and the building codes and laws in their area. These instructions are only to aid homeowners understand what to await from their roofing professional.

Step flashing is the most time-consuming of all flashing jobs on the roof because you must complete it step-past-step as you shingle up the roof. There are a few general best practices you need to know. First, stride flashing must be installed before the siding, and so that the siding tin cover the elevation of the flashing. If this is a repair job, the siding must also be removed and replaced with the flashing. Second, step flashing needs to extend eight to 14 inches above the shingles, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA).

Also, earlier yous beginning installing your flashing, you need to wait to run across if the wall in question has a corner on the roof confront, as in the image below.

If it does, follow our first installation process. If it doesn't have a corner, and just looks like the image below, follow the second installation process.

Corner-flashing

Footstep roof flashing no wall corner

How to Install Step Flashing With a Wall Corner

If a wall corner is on the rooftop, you will need to create a corner flashing piece using a typical step flashing piece. These instructions will tell you how to create a corner piece and how to install footstep flashing generally:

• Stride Ane : Install your underlayment completely and your shingles up to where the wall begins, so that the outset piece of flashing, or the corner flashing, will rest on a shingle.
• Step Two : To brand corner flashing, take your tin snips and cut a 45-caste line from an outside corner to the center fold. Then, cut along the center fold and remove the resulting triangle. This will allow you to bend the step flashing around the corner cleanly. If you do not wish to form your own corner flashing, you can buy pre-bent pieces and cut them to size, or use a piece of corrugated aluminum, which is easier to bend.

Roof shingle over step flashing

Step flashing on roof peak

• • Step Three : Bend the corner flashing tightly around the corner. Ensure it sits flat and extends at least 8 inches in a higher place the shingles. Nail it in place with 2 nails, one on each side of the top edge.
  • Step 4 : Take a second piece of flashing and set up it downwards in place. Bend it dorsum so that information technology overlaps the corner flashing.
  • Step V : Remove this 2nd piece and apply your sealant where the flashing will overlap. Then, set the piece downward. Hammer 1 boom to the bottom of the flashing, high upwards and then that the next row of shingles will cover it.
  • Pace Six : Finish a whole shingle grade above this piece of flashing.
  • Step Seven : Now you must employ a piece of step flashing where the adjacent course of shingles will start. This piece must overlap the terminal slice of flashing past at to the lowest degree 3 inches. Apply sealant where the base of the flashing volition sit, identify the flashing.
  • Stride Eight : Proceed to alternate between shingles and flashing until you achieve the pinnacle of the roof.
  • Footstep Ix : To flash the peak of the roof, you lot will need to create another custom slice of flashing. Take a usual piece of step flashing and cut into its fold, about halfway.
  • Footstep Ten : Leaving 1 side of the cut piece straight, bend the other side to lucifer the height of the roof, as shown beneath. Use roofing cement to secure this piece and a unmarried nail in the base of operations. Later, you lot volition comprehend it with a ridge shingle.

How to Install Step Flashing Where There is No Wall Corner

If your roof confront connects to the wall cleanly without creating a corner, then you don't need to create a corner flashing piece. Instead, you lot will need to install kickout flashing to aid guide the water into the gutter. While some professional roofers will brand their kickout flashing past mitt in copper, if you're using galvanized steel, it volition be too tough to bend properly. Instead, buy a premade kickout flashing piece.

Here's how to install kickout and step flashing:

• Footstep One : Place your kickout flashing on the base of the roof, snugly confronting the wall. Briefly remove the piece and apply covering cement where it will sit down.
• Step Two : Place the first piece of step flashing over the end of the starter strip, ensuring it leads straight into the kickout flashing. Use roofing cement and ii nails to secure information technology to the roof deck. Place the nails on the base of the step flashing piece, then yous're nailing into the deck. Also place the nails high, then the next course of shingles volition comprehend them.
• Step Three : Once the kick flashing and first piece of footstep flashing are secure, you take to use a shingle. First, utilise sealant to the base of operations of the flashing. Lay a shingle on top of the flashing and nail it as usual. Discover that the lesser of the shingle covers the flashing base and nail.
• Pace Iv : Stop the whole shingle grade.
• Step Five : To complete the pace flashing, follow the aforementioned process as described above for installed step flashing with a corner piece, starting at stride 7.

Kickout flashing

Kickout flashing

How to Install Counter-Flashing on a Chimney

Chimney flashing should be installed at the same time the stonemason is laying the brick and mortar, or the roofer will have to cutting a ridge out for the counter-flashing. And then, the roofer will have to seal this indent upwards, after placing the flashing.

• Step Ane : Ensure the chimney's base flashing is in proper order, secured to the roof as the manufacturer or mason recommends, beneath the shingles. If you were not provided with base flashing, you lot can install step flashing up the side of the chimney.
• Step Two : Cut an indent into the chimney with a diamond flake saw/diamond grinder disc. This is where you volition hang the counter-flashing.
• Step 3 : Insert the counter-flashing to the indent. Exist sure that it hangs then that it overlaps with the base flashing past at to the lowest degree 2 inches.
• Step Four : Utilise roofing cement to secure the counter-flashing to the base flashing and the chimney.
• Step Five : Seal the indent with roofing caulking, then the counter-flashing hangs securely.

Counter flashing on a chimney

How to Install a Roof Plumbing Vent Flashing Boot

Installing a roof plumbing vent is typically an easier chore than flashing a chimney. Hither is how y'all do it:

• Step One : Install shingles as normal upwards to the base of the plumbing vent.
• Step Two : Place the flashing or boot onto the plumbing vent, so the base is resting on shingles. Momentarily lift the boot and utilise sealant to hold the flashing in identify.
• Pace Iii : Firmly push the flashing back downwardly into place.
• Step 4 : Install the next course of shingles. When you reach the plumbing vent, allow the shingles to overlap the meridian of the flashing.
• Footstep Five : To brand room for the vent itself, cutting out a round piece of the shingles, as shown below.
• Footstep Half-dozen : To secure the round edge of the shingle, apply covering cement beneath information technology. Ensure you also smash it where y'all ordinarily would.

Do you need information well-nigh how to install the other kinds of roof flashing? IKO has already explained how to install drip border flashing and how to install metal valley flashing.

Old roof plumbing vent flashing kick

New roof plumbing vent flashing kick

Can Y'all Re-utilize Quondam Roof Flashing?

On a typical re-roofing job, where you are replacing an onetime or underperforming roof, information technology is wise to supplant all flashing. Old flashing may begin to fail earlier the new roof's lifespan is over. However, there are limited circumstances where a roofer may decide to reuse flashing. For instance, if a roofer is doing a repair job on a relatively new roof and the flashing appears to be in skilful status, it may be salvaged.

To determine whether or not your flashing can be reused, your roofer volition need to remove the flashing carefully to prevent damaging it.  Your roofer will and then inspect it earlier deciding to reuse information technology. If your roofer is replacing the shingles around your flashing, the flashing must be removed, at least temporarily, to let for proper installation.

Some types of flashing, similar step flashing, may be more challenging to reuse because it is harder to split up from the old shingles without denting or otherwise damaging it. Typically, a roofer will replace stride flashing on a new roof.

Likewise, your roofer should non layer new flashing on top of the one-time flashing. You lot should only have one layer of flashing on a roof at a time.

When to Repair a Roof Flashing Leak

You lot might also wonder what damaged flashing looks similar and when information technology should be replaced. Check over your flashing and look for:

• Damage, holes or bending.
• Corrosion or rusting.
• Loose or missing nails.
• Dried out or missing sealant.
• Flashing that has come loose.

If yous detect any of these problems, y'all may need to replace the flashing.

You may also wonder if you'll need to replace your flashing when you lot're having a new roof installed. That depends on a few factors. If the original flashing is in expert status and tin be removed without damaging it, it is possible to reuse information technology. Even so, you lot'll need to prioritize proper fit and seal over saving money if yous want a watertight roof; then be prepared to purchase new flashing where needed.

How to Repair Roof Flashing

Fixing roof flashing, but like installing flashing, is best left to roofing professionals. You should non take risks with your roof.

• Step One : Gently pry upwardly the shingles surrounding or covering the damaged flashing. When working with pace flashing, this may involve removing undamaged pieces of flashing equally well.
• Step 2 : Have your chisel and gently remove any asphalt cement you notice.
• Step Three : If you caught the flashing problem before a leak began, at that place should be no damage to the underlying roof parts and structure. However, it'due south important to check for damage anyway. If you find impairment, then you will have to get it repaired before reinstalling the flashing.
• Step Four : Now, reinstall the new flashing and shingles. Be sure to follow the proper lodge, every bit described in a higher place, especially when installing stride flashing, to ensure the flashing will stand upward to water.

Though roof flashing isn't the nearly dramatic element of a roof, information technology is i of the most of import. If you find some flashing on your roof that you're concerned about, nosotros suggest you find a professional roofer through IKO's Contractor Locator. A professional can help yous solve all of your roof flashing problems or answer the questions y'all have about your specific roof.

To learn more, please watch our video on how to prepare and install roof flashings:

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