Flashing the pipes that peek over your roof is a skill that takes intensive training and substantial experience to master. Considering plumbing is one of the most common causes of leakage, waterproofing it leaves no room for error.
If you have GAF products or want to choose them for your project, entrust the job to a Master Elite® roofing company, like DryTech Roofing. Here are the best practices we observe when flashing pipes on steep-slope roofs:
Using New Flashings
We support recycling, but we never reuse plumbing flashings, especially in replacement projects. It’s uncommon to find salvageable pieces of metal after tearing off roofing materials, but they shouldn’t return to their old job after roof installation. No matter how good they look, they’re not going to live as long as new ones. When they fail, they would most likely shorten the service life of your replacement roof too.
Applying Key Components Properly
Before we install the flashing, we make sure your roofing system has adequate underlayment to fend off wind-driven rain that could get under the shingles. Once the roof deck is well-protected, we’ll cut a 20” square piece of leak barrier and cut an “x” in the middle. We avoid creating the protrusion too big to ensure a tight seal. We remove the film and press it firmly to the underlayment.
Next, we install the shingles and make sure the center portion is below the pipe for the flashing to work properly. We cut the succeeding courses of shingles accordingly to fit them around the base.
Avoiding Unnecessary Sealants
We keep the use of sealants to a minimum. Experienced roofing companies know that excessive roof cement and caulking can damage the shingles. Also, the roof cement isn’t suitable for use if the vents are made from plastic or have a rubber gasket. The sealant can accelerate the degradation of the plastic and the rubber.
To reduce the need to use sealants as much as possible, we install the pipe boot so it allows the flanges to sit flat on the shingles.
Our GAF Master Elite designation tells you we know what it takes to flash your steep-slope roof’s most vulnerable areas. Call DryTech Roofing at (240) 491-5600 today to discuss your roofing project in Maryland and get a free estimate.