Let’s talk about flashing! When your White Castle Roofing specialist discusses flashing with you, we want to make sure you know what all that encompasses: lots of metal on your roof.
Flashing is the metal used in waterproofing your roof. You’ll find it at any intersection on your roof – for instance, where the roof meets the chimney, or a porch meets a wall. Flashing is a basic part of any White Castle Roofing installation project, and custom-bent for a perfect fit on your roof to make sure your home stays watertight.
![Flashing on chimney](https://whitecastleroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20160315T1818-cXHVVavKBhU1458065927-225x400.jpg)
There are a few types of flashing that are the most common on residential roofs, as well as several types of specialty flashing. For today, let’s focus on the ones you’ll typically see on a roof in your neighborhood:
- Step flashing: Step flashing protects the interface between a roof and a wall from water leaks that can cause hidden damage for years. It can be made with aluminum, copper, lead, galvanized steel, or stainless steel, but most commonly it is aluminum or copper. Small L-shape flashing pieces must be woven into the shingles, integrating the roof cladding into the wall cladding to keep water out.
![Step flashing on chimney](https://whitecastleroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20170407T2052-7oHVtrdLp8o1491600928-400x225.jpg)
- Counter flashing: Counter flashing protects against water getting behind the top edge of step flashing, preventing it from seeping down the wall or other vertical surface. It is especially important on brick walls.
![Counter flashing on brick wall](https://whitecastleroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20161201T2246-ZwXp2X28hzs1480632402-225x400.jpg)
- Headwall or “L” flashing: A headwall is the junction between a sloped roof and a wall. A piece of flashing is placed behind the exterior cladding on the wall and then extended out over the shingles. The flashing can be left exposed, or installers can adhere a “beauty strip” of asphalt-shingle material to the flashing to make it less visible from the ground.
![Head wall flashing on roof](https://whitecastleroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20170410T1849-MxJsoq6irIw1491850173-243x400.jpg)
White Castle Roofing uses premium products to ensure that the flashing on your roof is done right, and our skilled installers are trained to make sure the roof is both structurally sound AND aesthetically pleasing (no need for flashy flashing!). And our repair team can help replace faulty flashing without replacing the entire roof! If you aren’t happy with the way your current flashing looks, or is performing, or if your roof is getting older and the flashing is showing its age, request a free estimate or give your nearest White Castle Roofing office a call and we’ll come take a look!