Damaged Flashing: Should You Repair Or Replace It?
Posted on: 18 July 2022
If a storm damaged some or most of your roof's flashing, you may wonder if you should repair or replace it soon. If your flashing hangs from your roof or looks dented or cracked, you may need to replace it. Damaged flashing can leave the rest of your roof and home open to leaks in the future. Learn more about damaged flashing and whether or not you should repair or replace your roof's flashing below.
How Does Damaged Flashing Affect Your Home?
Flashing's main job is to protect your roof and home from water damage. However, heavy storms, age, and even poor maintenance can damage flashing over time. Not only does damaged flashing leave your roof open to severe water damage, but it can also expose your home to problems as well.
Damaged flashing will appear dented, warped, or even rusted in places. Rust can spread very quickly once it develops on your flashing. Some sources recommend or show you how to remove rust from your flashing. But once flashing rusts, it can be difficult to repair.
Hanging flashing can also be difficult to repair. Flashing uses adhesive and nails to stick to the surface of your roof. If the adhesive or nails become loose, your flashing will no longer remain in place on your roof. Flashing can be dangerous if it falls from your roof.
You can have a roofer address the issues with your flashing. A roofer can determine whether or not to repair your flashing or replace it.
How Do You Repair or Replace Your Roof's Flashing?
A roofer will inspect each place on your roof that contains flashing. A contractor will look for all of the signs or problems mentioned above during the inspection. If the storm damaged your flashing beyond repair, a contractor will most likely advise you to replace it.
A roofer will remove every damaged piece of flashing from your roof. The job may take some time to complete if your home has a large roof. A roofer will also need to remove any old adhesive and nails that remain on the roof after they remove the flashing from it.
After a roofing contractor removes the flashing and cleans your roof, they'll install new pieces of flashing on it. The new flashing should be sufficient enough to protect your roof from storm damage in the future.
Learn more about damaged roof flashing and how to repair or replace it by contacting a roofing contractor.
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