Roof flashing

[Bert_]

Why is it that a good number of roofers are perfectly happy to reuse bad flashing. Often slobbering tar over the gaps or bad spots thinking it will hold up.

Seems like you have to hire a really high end roofer to get a good job. Some of our building practices don't help either. Like nailing step flashing to a wall and then burying it under siding.

The back porch on my house looks like it's been leaking for years. The soffit is rotting and so is some of the sheeting on the wall and roof.

The step flashing had a couple pieces of wood shingles still stuck between them so I know it was ancient. The exposure was wrong for asphalt shingles and they were full of holes. They must have ran out of felt since half of it was missing. Finally the drip edge was pulled up to tight making the edge of the roof nearly flat.

I cut the siding back and added an extra bit of coil trim to make replacing the step flashing easier in the future. I only nailed the step flashing to the deck on the top corner. Maybe someone here will find fault in it but I like it.

 

[jkeyser14]

Because doing it right takes time which reduces profit. And in 5 years when it rots out they will be long gone, so it is no skin off their backs.

 

[RivennHewn]

Everybody wants it done right, right up to the point they have to write the check

 

[oldmxracer]

Everybody wants it done right, right up to the point they have to write the check

Just a bit of truth in that !

 

[matt_i]

Everybody wants it done right, right up to the point they have to write the check

Well Said!!!

Its that your roofer has to become a siding person, possibly even a painter, and their bid is going to be way past other competitors who won't mess with the flashings. Even if its easily removable vinyl siding the pieces have to be transferred down and back up in proper order and then what if an old brittle piece snaps.....

 

[Bert_]

Well Said!!!

Its that your roofer has to become a siding person, possibly even a painter, and their bid is going to be way past other competitors who won't mess with the flashings. Even if its easily removable vinyl siding the pieces have to be transferred down and back up in proper order and then what if an old brittle piece snaps.....

I totally agree with you there. That was the reason for my ***** about how we usually install the flashing, nailed behind the siding.

Again maybe someone will find fault here but I made a 2 part flashing so the step flashing can be easily replaced later.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I reuse flashing if there is nothing wrong with it. I will note that I'm carefull when removing the old shingles, siding or trim if I'm going to reuse the flashing.

 

[Firebrick43]

The biggest reason, most roofers and concrete men, are well, of little brains. It tells you the instruction on how to roof on every package of shingles and they cant be bothered to read it.

Its hard and nasty work, hell on the body. lots of booze and drugs to addle the mind. The intelligent ones in the trade are soon the boss or owner of the company.

Even the best I have seen were chomping at the bit for a beer when done, the worst had a 6 pack for breakfast before showing up.

 

[yeldogt]

Most never read instructions and follow the bad practices of the other guys .....

They never learn or understand very basic things .... caulk solves all problems.

It's like talking to most contractors about venting ... that's the way we always do it !!!

 

[rburke65]

As most things, good work is expensive

 

[Bretny]

Everybody wants it done right, right up to the point they have to write the check

BINGO! Pick the lowest bid and you get the lowest quality. Or you could buy all the tools and do it your self.

Personally I would rather fail trying than give up and pay someone else to fail professionally.

 

[Bert_]

It's one thing to do a job inexpensively, e.g., use cheaper shingles with a shorter life. It's another to sell a decent product then do a half assed job installing it.

That's mainly what my rant was about.

I do jobs as cheap as possible sometimes. But I'm not going to do something that I know will fail a few years down the road.

 

[Bert_]

They never learn or understand very basic things .... caulk solves all problems.

I think that pretty much sums it up.

I like what I do, most days. I am always learning things to make a better install or do it more effectively. I have made mistakes not using the right part or not installing it in the best way. But I always try to look back at stuff several years later and note how it holding up. I try to do things well and make it cost effective.

 

[Bretny]

Cawlk on a roof should be a secondary source of watherproofing... not a primary. Good thing gravity always works.

 

[captain14]

Not to steal the thread but I have a question about roof flashing which I have noticed recently

Some contractors use a one piece of flashing against the chimney versus step flashing?

Which is better? A neighbor has a one piece flashing against the chimney which came loose
And was blowing around in the wind.

 

[rlitman]

Not to steal the thread but I have a question about roof flashing which I have noticed recently

Some contractors use a one piece of flashing against the chimney versus step flashing?

Which is better? A neighbor has a one piece flashing against the chimney which came loose
And was blowing around in the wind.

On a real masonry chimney, the flashing is stepped, because it is inserted into the mortar lines. Cutting the bricks leads to potentially dangerous cracks.

If the chimney isn't real masonry, then a one-piece flashing is cheaper and simpler to install.

 

[captain14]

On a real masonry chimney, the flashing is stepped, because it is inserted into the mortar lines. Cutting the bricks leads to potentially dangerous cracks.

If the chimney isn't real masonry, then a one-piece flashing is cheaper and simpler to install.

I have seen the one piece installed on masonary chimneys around here after the new shingles have been installed. I understand the step flashing into the mirror lines but cannot say for certain if they even cut the brick to install the one piece flashing. I’ll have to watch some jobs in the fall.

 

[rlitman]

I have seen the one piece installed on masonary chimneys around here after the new shingles have been installed. I understand the step flashing into the mirror lines but cannot say for certain if they even cut the brick to install the one piece flashing. I’ll have to watch some jobs in the fall.

I've seen that done too. If you don't cut in to insert the flashing, it will leak. And cutting real brick on a line across multiple bricks is a serious no-no.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Why is it that a good number of roofers are perfectly happy to reuse bad flashing. Often slobbering tar over the gaps or bad spots thinking it will hold up.

Seems like you have to hire a really high end roofer to get a good job. Some of our building practices don't help either. Like nailing step flashing to a wall and then burying it under siding.

The back porch on my house looks like it's been leaking for years. The soffit is rotting and so is some of the sheeting on the wall and roof.

The step flashing had a couple pieces of wood shingles still stuck between them so I know it was ancient. The exposure was wrong for asphalt shingles and they were full of holes. They must have ran out of felt since half of it was missing. Finally the drip edge was pulled up to tight making the edge of the roof nearly flat.

I cut the siding back and added an extra bit of coil trim to make replacing the step flashing easier in the future. I only nailed the step flashing to the deck on the top corner. Maybe someone here will find fault in it but I like it.

What’s going to keep moisture/rain from getting behind the vinyl siding??? Which in-turn gets behind the flashing!

 

[Bert_]

What’s going to keep moisture/rain from getting behind the vinyl siding??? Which in-turn gets behind the flashing!

Not sure what you mean. The z shape flashing extends up behind the original wood siding and the tar paper behind it.

The step flashing is then slid behind the z flashing.

Someday the vinyl will be removed so I have maintained the wood clap as best I can.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

The vinyl siding is surface nailed- water running down the clapboards will run behind the vinyl- which will eventually get behind the flashing that was installed. The leaking and rot will continue.

 

[Bert_]

The vinyl siding is surface nailed- water running down the clapboards will run behind the vinyl- which will eventually get behind the flashing that was installed. The leaking and rot will continue.

I still don't follow. Of course water will get behind the vinyl, that's common knowledge. Vinyl leaks, that's why there is always a water barrier behind it. The water would have to get through the clap and the tar paper before it could get behind the flashing. How would that leak?

The wall is vinyl siding over wood clap over tar paper over board sheeting. The flashing is behind the tar paper and over the sheeting.

 

[Bert_]

The vinyl siding is surface nailed- water running down the clapboards will run behind the vinyl- which will eventually get behind the flashing that was installed. The leaking and rot will continue.

Can someone please explain this. If there is something wrong with how I did it I really do want to know. Something is being lost the wording thought since I cannot understand what is wrong.

 

[56Mark]

Can someone please explain this. If there is something wrong with how I did it I really do want to know. Something is being lost the wording thought since I cannot understand what is wrong.

I like it. Looks like a great solution to me.

On the one piece flashings...I think they are leaks waiting to happen. Step flashing always runs the water out the next gap if it gets in. One piece can let water run out between shingles onto the sheeting. I built a house last year and caught the roofer step flashing but with like 3' long pieces instead of every shingle. I made them change it.