What Are the Types of Roof Flashing?

April 21, 2020 11:03 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

If you’re not a professional roofing contractor, it’s possible that you’ve never heard of roof flashing in your life—but it’s a key part of your roof that helps prevent water from leaking into your home. When you’re researching roofing contractors for roof flashing installation in New Bern, NC, it’s worth knowing a little about roof flashing so you can find out more about what the contractor recommends, and why.

What is flashing?

Roof flashing is a thin material that’s installed around vertical surfaces on the roof, like your chimney. When the roof runs into a vertical surface, water can leak down in between the seams and into your home. Flashing prevents that from happening by sealing the seams and diverting the water down the roof, then into the rain gutters and downspouts.

Different types of roof flashing

The different types of roof flashing depend on how or where they’re installed. The most common types of roof flashing include:

  • Step flashing: This type of flashing is used where the roof meets the wall. It’s rectangular with a 90-degree bend in the center, which helps move water away from the wall and prevents it from getting inside your home.
  • Base flashing: Base flashing is often used around chimneys, which are difficult to work around. This type of flashing is actually used in conjunction with counter flashing—the two-part system works to direct rain down and away from your chimney. As the name implies, base flashing is the bottom part of this two-part system.
  • Counter flashing: Counter flashing sits above the base flashing, vertically, ensuring that the water is diverted appropriately.
  • Continuous flashing: Finally, continuous flashing is a long piece of metal that carries water down the roof. It’s usually used in roof-to-sidewall installations. Since the piece is so long, it comes with built-in expansion joints, which work with the expanding and contracting of the other roof materials. This guarantees that your home stays protected no matter what the weather is like.

As a homeowner, you won’t need to choose specific types of flashing like you would choose the type and color of shingles, for example—it’s usually up to your contractor to choose the flashing that will work best with your individual roof. However, you can always ask your contractor what type of flashing they’re using and why, so you get a better sense of their methodology and skill level.

Roof flashing installation in New Bern, NC

When you’re looking for a professional, reliable roofing contractor in New Bern, call the contractors at Dallas Cherry Roofing. We’ve been providing a full range of roofing services to residential and commercial clients for nearly 25 years, and are a proud Owens Corning Preferred Contractor. We specialize in shingle roofing, including asphalt and metal, and will install, repair or replace your roof flawlessly. We’ll work with you to find the best roofing materials available for your style and budget—call us today to learn more and get an estimate. We look forward to assisting you soon!

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