What is Roof Flashing?

Chris Danielson
April 27, 2023

What is roof flashing and why is it essential for ensuring longevity?

Flashing, the thin metal support pieces along the grooves and other parts of your roof, form a barrier against water intrusion. Water, especially during the rainy season, is the greatest bane of your roof’s life expectancy. Therefore, you want sturdy flashing to prevent leaks, soft roof, and other trouble.

Here is some helpful information about flashing and other lesser known roofing components.

What is Roof Flashing?

The flashing is one of the most important lines of defense for your roof against the severe weather we get in both the rainy season and the bitter winter. There are various ways to manufacture it from galvanized steel, sheet metal, and aluminum.

Through proper installation, it holds together various cross-sections of your roof without allowing water to get into the cracks or grooves. If you look along the areas around your chimney, skylights, and vents, you’ll notice the metal flashing fixtures. It’s imperative to make sure these do not fall into disrepair or become loose.

Consequences of Poor Roof Flashing

For anybody who thinks this is a “minor” roofing component, we recommend doing a web search for images of homes with damaged flashing. The extent of the water damage is mind-boggling, and could force you to fork over a ton of money for repairs, maybe even a whole new roof.

There are many obvious signs that your flashing no longer works, including:

Excessive rust (which may require re-sealing, replacement, or at least cleaning)
Cracks, bends, and dents
Lots of leakage around your fireplace, windows, and skylights
Noticeable holes from the outside
Soft or damaged shingles in and around chimneys, skylights, or vents

If you encounter these problems, please contact The Roofing Center so that we can have a licensed roofer determine the extent of the damage, and discuss repair options with you. Property owners ignore this problem at their peril because it can lead to much greater roofing problems later down the road.

Other Important Roofing Terms Homeowners Should Know

Then there are other important roofing terms for homeowners to know when considering a new roof project.

Roof Deck – Sometimes called “sheathing,” and it refers to framing that holds the roof together with the insulation, weatherproofing, and other components. It usually comes from Oriented Strand Board (OSB) or other plywood.
Underlayment – This is the waterproofing material attached directly to the roof deck. Polyethylene is the strongest version, but you can also get it from tar paper or roofing felt.
Roof Vent – Here’s a crucial fixture if you want to keep your home cool in the summer without losing a fortune in air-conditioning. Roof vents keep the airflow circulating in the attic, but are susceptible to water intrusion, mold, and other issues.
Batten System – Battens are an alternative way to improve airflow. These 2X2 pieces of lumber go horizontally attached between the roof deck and roof covering to create additional space for air circulation.
Roof Covering – This is the finishing that you’ll see from the outside, and it’s available as asphalt shingles, metal, stone, tile, and more.
Concealed Fasteners – “Concealed” refers to how we improve the roof aesthetic by hiding fasteners underneath the roof panels.

The Roofing Center: At Your Service in Utah, Colorado, & Montana

The Roofing Center serves residential and commercial roofing clients in several locations throughout the inter-mountain region. We can fix your roof whether you need minor flashing repairs, or whenever it’s time for a replacement project. Our reputation spans over three decades, and we enjoy consistently positive feedback from past clients in every service location.