Many homeowners are unaware of the potential problems that can arise with the flashing on their homes – in fact; it’s not uncommon for a client to not know what flashing is at all, or why it’s important for their home.
Here at Professional Roofers we know that your roof is important to you, even if you don’t know all the ins-and-outs of roof industry jargon and construction technicalities, so we thought we would spend this week discussing one of the most important aspects of it: your flashing. A roofer in Toronto from Professional Roofers will be able to explain what it is, some of the common issues we tend to encounter with it in the GTA, and how to identify and prevent future problems.
The flashing on your roof is the sheet metal roofers use to prevent leaks at joints, edges, and breaks along your roof. Since these areas are the weakest points on your roof, we roofers want to make sure that you are protected in the event of high winds, heavy rainfalls, or any other incident that might damage your home. Due to the nature of the materials we use in construction, and the design of your home, it can be difficult to ensure full coverage of your roof with shingles alone.
If you’re looking for the flashing on your roof, note that this metal can either be exposed or concealed: if it is exposed, look for long lines of sheet metal on your roof, if it is concealed, look for a rubberized coating on top of it. The sheet metal is generally composed of galvanized metal or aluminum and provides an added layer of protection along the joints and edges of your roof so that you can be confident your home is protected. Even the smallest cracks can let water in and will cause vast amounts of damage if not remediated quickly. Flashing helps us guarantee that you’re covered for many, many years to come.
Where homeowners tend to run into trouble with their flashing is when the material itself begins to break down or separate from the roof. There are several ways in which this will happen: the first of which is caused by a lack of, or loss of protective coating to the metal causing it to rust. Secondly, the tar used to adhere the flashing to your roof may have corroded over time, causing the metal to crack.
No matter the reason, if the metal has rusted through or cracked off, it will need to be replaced immediately, as it is no longer capable of performing the job it was installed to do. Rusted metal will allow water to penetrate through it, and it is only a matter of time before you start noticing the leaks through to your attic space. If you see that your flashing has cracked through, rusted, or separated from your roof, please contact us immediately so that we can work to repair it for you, no matter the time or day. We at Professional Roofers know how difficult and stressful roofing problems may be for homeowners, which is why we work tirelessly to ensure our clients receive the VIP treatment they deserve.