Roofing

Roof Flashing Repair: What Causes Flashings to Fail?

The roof is far from just one large and complete structure. It’s made from different components and parts that play a key role in protecting your home from the elements. One of these components is also the most under discussed one: the roof flashing.

Deschutes Roofing & Insulation, your roof, and seamless gutter experts, shares what causes home roof flashing to fail and what to do when roof flashing repair is needed.

The Roof Flashing Materials

The flashing is a strip of material that’s installed on the most vulnerable parts of the roof; specifically, parts that are most susceptible to water intrusion and leaks. These include the roof valleys and the area around roof additions, such as chimneys, skylights, and vents.

These strips come in a variety of materials of varying resilience and longevity. The most commonly used are metal flashings like steel and aluminum, similar to many seamless gutters, but there are also rubber-based strips. Of these materials, the three most common are copper, aluminum, and PVC.

Roof Flashing Failure and Roof Damage

While the flashing is designed to prevent water from getting into your roof, it is just as susceptible to deterioration and water exposure as the other parts. In fact, it is even more susceptible since it is often the first to get affected by inclement weather.

Flashing strips get worn down as time goes by, but they can also be damaged by strong winds and hail. During a storm, the flashings are often the first to get blown off. Resulting in needing roof flashing repair.

What You Can Do For Your Home Roof and Roof Flashing

To get the most out of your roof flashings and roof flashing repairs, it’s important that you do regular maintenance on the roof. Clean accumulated debris on the surface and replace old and worn down flashing strips so that they don’t present a risk in the near future.