Welcome to Family Roofing

Your home is an investment any property owner wants to protect, which means regular maintenance and repairs should happen as soon as they are needed.  Having a strong roof to protect the rest of the building’s structural integrity is vital.  Many roofs have issues that are created by bad flashing.  Even when flashing is originally installed correctly, due to elements and age, it can become defective or damaged, leading to a variety of issues that impact the remainder of the building.

Aspects of Roof Flashing

One important aspect to know about roof flashing is that it prevents water from penetrating behind your shingles and damaging the underlying materials.  If you have ever experienced a leak in your home, then you probably noticed that there was always some amount of water around where the problem occurred.  This happens when rain penetrates the roofing materials and seeps into the building.  The water can damage ceilings, walls, insulation, and even electrical wiring.

Roof flashing is also important for maintaining proper ventilation in your home.  Without it, moisture could build up in your attic and cause mold or mildew problems.  If you are unsure about how to install roof flashing, then you should hire a professional roofer.  They have the tools and experience necessary to ensure that it is done right so your home will be protected from leaks for years to come!

Poor Repair Jobs

Regular roof maintenance is essential to the life of your home.  It should be inspected regularly, because once an issue is caused by the elements, it’s likely going to get worse. Business owners should always hire a professional to address issues related to the roof and its flashing.  Flashing installation requires many important steps and knowledge that business owners and their maintenance employees typically don’t have.  A poor repair job could lead to leaking or billowing, which happens when parts of the flashing become disconnected from the structure and eventually become even more damaged in high wind.  Even worse, a bad repair job can also lead to part or even all of the roof blowing away.

Age

Flashing isn’t made to last forever.  Seasonal temperature fluctuations can cause roof flashing to warp. Flashing can also bend as the building settles, and it can rust with age.  Old flashing experiencing any of these issues is likely to fail the materials it is designed to protect.  If the flashing is aged, the entire roof probably is as well. How often your roof and its flashing should be replaced depends on the type of roof the building has.  Generally, an asphalt roof will last 20 years, while a metal roof can last up to 30 years.

Weather

Extreme weather takes a toll on your roof, the drainage system and its flashing. Heavy rain and high winds can reveal weak flashing.  When snow or ice builds up, it can seep under the metal strips as it begins to melt.  This melt can also refreeze and expand, causing the flashing to change shape.

Accidental Damage

Sometimes a person performing an inspection or repair on the roof can accidentally and unknowingly cause damage to flashing.  It’s important that anyone stepping onto a roof knows what they are doing as they begin to walk around.  Damage to flashing can occur when someone steps on it the wrong way. If the flashing becomes dented or cracked, it can give way to water.  Roof flashing is a small but important component of a commercial roof.  If you suspect your flashing has become weakened or damaged, always consult with a professional commercial roofer before it leads to a larger issue.

Defective Flashing

Flashing protects your roof’s joints and seams from excess water.  These seams and joints are incredibly vulnerable parts of any roof.  It’s composed of sheet metal and prevents water damage to your building. Over time the flashing can deteriorate from contraction and expansion that occurs because of changing weather patterns. Problems can also result from improper installation.

If you have leaks in your roof, the flashing is one of the first things you should check.  Many flashing problems involve some type of damage to the membrane on your roof. It’s the membrane that protects your home from extensive weather damage and other kinds of roof damage. Here are some common problems associated with poor roof flashing.

• Blow Offs

  Open seams and joints will eventually lead to blow-offs where part or all of the roof blows off of your building.  Flashing problems diminish the puncture resistance to a roof’s membrane. Reduced resistance to puncturing means that the membrane is more likely to puncture or tear once it separates from the roof’s substrate

  This type of damage can result from poor installation or maintenance issues.  Also, using cold adhesives that aren’t allowed to cure long enough before they’re exposed to high winds and rain can cause blow-offs.  High winds such as hurricane-force gusts are typical causes of blow-offs, and these are quite common low-slope roof problems.

• Billowing

  Billowing occurs when large sections of the membrane detach and flutter with high wind.  This damage also occurs from poor flashing installation or maintenance issues.  It’s essential to address billowing immediately because it could lead to blow-off.  A roofing professional may need to cut part of the membrane as an emergency fix.  While cutting the membrane may allow water that’s gathered to penetrate the building, it will release the pressure on your roof preventing additional membrane detachment.

• Tenting

  Dimensional shortening of the membrane on a roof causes roof shrinkage, also known as bridging or tenting.  This roofing problem happens when there is a dimensional change in the roof’s membrane.  It applies additional pressure to the flashing and roof seams eventually causing a rupture. This shortening is irreversible.

  Tenting must be addressed immediately before it tears open letting water into the building.  It often causes dry spots beneath the flashing or penetration of the roof.

  Contact a roofing professional for an immediate assessment of your roof.  They may need to cut the tented areas so that they can dry out.  Then they’ll install new materials such as modified bitumen and roof mastic.