Whether you’re working on only one part of your home — as in bathroom remodeling — or on your entire home — as in roof replacement — you probably know about most of the major materials used in the construction.
For example, if you’re getting a new roof installed, you probably know about the asphalt shingles and even the underlayment. What most homeowners are not aware of are the roof flashings and what these things do.
To better understand what they are and what they do for your home, here is a short discussion about roof flashings.
A roof flashing is a strip of material that’s shaped so that it fits wherever it is placed on your roof. The purpose of installing flashing is to reduce the likelihood of leaks in some roofing areas. Flashing is designed so temperature changes that make the roof and the walls contract and expand do not affect it much. Its job is to resist cracking and leaking in certain areas of the roof that would otherwise be problematic.
You can find roof flashing around roof penetrations, such as chimneys and skylights. Flashing is also present where the roof meets a brick wall. If an asphalt shingle roof meets a flat roof, you can be sure that flashing is also there.
There are many other applications of roof flashing, and sometimes you can’t even see the flashing. For example, some flashing are hidden behind siding. There may also be roof areas that are not easy to reach. For such areas, the flashing material should be extra tough so it doesn’t need to be repaired or replaced often.
Most homes have aluminum flashing, but there are other materials used for making them. Rubber, steel, and lead are often used, as well as liquid flashing. Lead is not used a lot in construction anymore because of its toxic nature, but lead is the kind of tough material that’s often used for flashing in hard-to-reach areas. It’s tough enough to last a lifetime without the need for replacement or maintenance.
Need to learn more about flashing? Ask us at Northwest Construction. We offer many different services, including kitchen remodeling. Call us today at (313) 277-7676 or fill out this form for a free, no-obligation quote. We work with homeowners in Farmington Hills, Livonia and Canton, MI.