A Guide to Roof Flashing Types in Florida

Roof flashing is the unsung hero of your roofing system. While shingles and tiles get a lot of the focus, your roof flashing plays an essential role in keeping your roof safe. The best way to make sure you have the right protection for your home is to familiarize yourself with the different roof flashing types.

We’re PITCH Roofing, and helping you better understand your roof is what we do. In our decades of roofing, we’ve seen underhanded roofers try to leave out flashing on an estimate to provide a lower number and get a job. By making sure you understand the different types of flashing and how they work, we want to ensure that you’re never taken in by this kind of scam!

What Is Roof Flashing

Before we delve into the different roof flashing types, let’s talk about roof flashing in general. Flashing is a strip or section of metal on your roof, usually galvanized steel. Contractors will install this material wherever your roof connects with another surface, be that a chimney, a skylight, or a valley in your roof.

But what does roof flashing do? In the simplest terms, it guides whatever off your roof. That’s why it’s strategically placed where your roof needs protection most. By preventing water pooling, flashing protects the most vulnerable parts of your roofing system. And when there’s a problem with your roof flashing, your roof is at significant risk of developing a leak.

Without functional roof flashing, water has a tendency to pool and seep into your roof decking. For starters, this causes headaches like roof leaks or even roof sagging. And over time it can endanger your entire roofing system. That’s because your shingles sit on top of your decking. If water eats away at it, you could need a roof replacement instead of a roof repair.

But the experts at PITCH aren’t going to let that happen. To make sure you’re ready to take care of your roof and discuss your options with contractors, let’s talk about the most common types of roof flashing in Florida!

Florida Roof Flashing Types

Remember how we said that roof flashing goes around any place where your roof meets another surface, like chimneys or roof vents? Well, which type of surface your roof meets will determine what kind of flashing it needs in that area. There are many different roof flashing types in Florida, so it’s important to be aware of everything that your roofing system needs to stay safe and secure!

Step Flashing

Step flashing is ideal for any place where your roof runs into a wall. This roof flashing type uses a piece of metal that’s bent at a 90-degree angle. With this method, several layers of flashing are installed with the shingles to ensure that water moves seamlessly away from the wall and off your roof.

Apron Flashing

Apron flashing is also sometimes called continuous flashing because it uses a single, long piece of metal installed at the base of a roof penetration. Long pieces of metal like this used to have issues with aging because they couldn’t expand and contract with the rest of the roof in response to heat. Thanks to built-in expansion joints, though, this is now one of the most durable roof flashing types!

Base & Counter Flashing

Major roofing features like chimneys don’t just have one piece of flashing. Instead, they use two roof flashing types to ensure maximum protection. This way, when rain moves along your roof, it won’t start to seep into the chimney.

The base flashing in this system is actually a piece of apron flashing. In other words, it’s a long, continuous piece of metal flashing. Roofers call it base flashing, though, because it’s combined with a second layer of protection: counter flashing. This second layer of protection is installed opposite or above your base flashing, which ensures that water can’t penetrate your roofing system no matter where it’s coming from.

Valley Flashing

As the name implies, roofers install valley flashing in the valleys, or low points, of your roof. Without this type of roof flashing, water would be able to pool in your roof’s valleys and slowly eat through your shingles. That makes valley flashing especially important for complex, multi-story roofing systems!

Drip Edge

This is one type of roof flashing that gets a lot of use during Florida’s rainy season. This piece of metal goes along the perimeter of your roof and directs water into your gutters. As a result, it also protects your shingles, which could otherwise have water forced beneath them during a storm or hurricane.

Kickout Flashing

Roofing systems are unique. That means that sometimes, you have to get creative with how and where you apply flashing. Kickout flashing exists for when other roof flashing types can’t get the job done alone. Specifically, contractors install kickout flashing to connect the space between your step flashing and your gutters. This way, there is no gap and no way for water to become trapped on your roof!

Get a Free Roof Repair or Replacement Estimate

Once you’ve learned about the different roof flashing types, the next thing that you have questions about is probably roof flashing costs. If you want a 100% reliable, accurate figure, all you have to do is sign up for a free roofing estimate!

At PITCH, our roofing estimates are always clear and transparent, with no parts of your roofing system left out. To get your free, no-obligation roofing estimate, call us at 727-677-4824 or schedule your estimate online. Our estimates don’t have vague language or hidden fees, so you can trust that the number we give you is what you’ll pay when the job is done!

It’s unfortunate that homeowners have to be so knowledgeable about roofing to ensure they get an honest deal. But now that you know the most common roof flashing types, you’ll be able to make the best decisions for your property. Give PITCH Roofing a chance to earn your business, and we’d be more than happy to show you how much easier life is when you’ve got roofing done right!