Flashing is a thin material, usually galvanized steel, which is used by professional roofers to protect certain areas of a roofing system. In other words, it is meant to surround specific areas such as vents, skylights, or chimneys. Water should then be able to go down the flashing side and take the direction of the shingles and not go to the roof deck.

In case there is no flashing between walls, water can drip into the crevices between the roof and the walls, and can thus enter your home and create further damage to its integrity. A deteriorated or poorly installed flashing can lead to roof leaks. Wood can rot and the deck can collapse.

That’s why, although the flashing can be fixed in some cases, sometimes you will want your roofer to replace it altogether. Typically, to replace damaged flashing, your roofer will first remove multiple rows of shingles, as well as the old flashing itself. They’ll also need to remove the old the caulk and mortar lining the flashing’s edges. This needs to be done very carefully, to ensure there won’t be any damage to the surrounding materials. Then, your roofer will use masonry caulk to seal the joints between the structure and the new flashing.

Of course, there are other steps and details involved in replacing flashing – your local roofing contractors Highlands Ranch CO professionals can tell you more about it and lead the project to completion without any issues.