Roofing, Flashings, and Chimneys

Introduction
The primary function of the roof system is to safeguard against and manage the current weather
elements, particularly precipitation, thereby protecting the inner and structural the different parts
of the home. For the purposes of a home inspection, the roof system consists primarily of the
roof coverings, flashings and chimney.
As well as protecting the inside elements of the property the roof components must also be
designed, along with the gutters and downspouts, to direct rainwater and runoff far from the
building blocks area, to greatly for help reduce steadily the possibility of soil erosion,
compaction and water entering the basement area.
Due to the important functions Roofing Company for this method provides, it's condition should
be assessed regularly, and maintenance provided when and wherever necessary.
Roofing
There are two basic kinds of roof construction, sloped (also called pictched) and flat. Most
sloped roofs are covered with individual items of shingling material overlapped to avoid water
penetration. flat roofs are basically watertight membranes which should have just enough slope
allowing water to run off. The slope of a roof could be a element in the endurance of the roofing
material. The life expectancy of a roof covering can be dependent upon the kind of material used,
the quality of workmanship, exposure to sun and wear from tree branches, snow/ice and wind. As
an example, south and west roof faces have an increased wear factor than north or east
exposures, highly reflective shingles are apt to have an extended life span, and cement or slate
roofs last much longer than standard ashphalt shingles (and be expensive more!)
Asphalt shingling is the most common roofing material utilized in residential construction in
Canada. Other forms of covering for sloped roofs include asphalt roll roofing, concrete or clay
tiles, wood shakes and shingles, and slate shingles. Additionally there are fibreglass shingles,
metal shingles and metal sheet roofing systems.
Flat roofs are built up with layers of molten asphalt and felts, or covered with a membrane of
modified bitumin or asphalt base, or plastics or rubber. The majority are heat-sealed and some
are glued.
Flashings
The purpose of flashings is to avoid the entry of water at areas on a roof where two components
join together or intersect (i.e. one roof to another or a chimney by way of a roof). Flashings can
be made of galvanized steel, tin, aluminum, copper, lead or lengths of roll-roofing. The option of
flashing material is likely to be dependent upon the construction of the roof and the material
employed for the roof covering.

Flashings will expand and contract, metal in particular, with heat from the sun and air
temperature changes. They are also expected to move and stretch with typical building shifts.
The areas where flashings are needed are typically very susceptible to water penetration. There's
a higher risk of water leakage and wood decay from a broken, loose or poorly constructed
flashing. For most of the above reasons, regualr monitoring and routine maintenance of the
flashing areas is issential to preventing leaks.
Chimneys
The most frequent materials found in chimney construction are masonry and steel. Masonry
chimneys can be brick, block or stone and are often stuccoed or parged. Chimneys often have
more than one flue. A flue is just a separate and distinct channel for the smoke on the inside of
the chimney. Generally, each appliance within your house will need to have a separate flue. In
certain cases, two gas furnaces on the same floor within a house can share a standard flue, as can
a gas furnace and a fuel heated water heater on a single level. Some wood furnaces are designed
to share a flue by having an oil furnace, if at the same floor level.
Some flues are unlined in that there surely is masonry exposed inside of the flue. Unlined
chimney flues are most common in houses built before the Second World War. These unlined
masonry flues have performed reasonably well for fireplaces and oil-fired furnaces, however
most have deteriorated beyond a safe condition. Gas appliances require a suitable liner.
Flue could be lined with clay tiles or metal liner. For more information about chimneys and
chimney liners, reference the "Heating" section.
Considerations
The part of roofs that's most susceptible to early deterioration is the location across the flashings
(chimneys, plumbing stacks, the intersection of several roofs, skylights, etc.) It's not uncommon
for these areas to develop a trickle prior to the remaining portion of the roof material has aged
significantly. Also, because these areas are frequently made from metal they may be more
suceptible compared to remaining portion of the roof coverings to damage from wind and
expansion/contraction from freeze/thaw cycles. So while flashings may appear fine on the
afternoon of an assessment and the roof might be relatively young in age, the flashings must
certanly be monitored on a typical basis (at least semi-annually) to detect any changes in
condition that'll indicate maintenance or repair is necessary. Leaks left unattended may cause
serious harm to the rest of the roof and structure.