⁠Chimney Flashing

Chimney flashing specifically prevents water from entering the building at the point where the chimney meets the roof.
Step flashing is typically used along the edges of the chimney stack.

One of the main purposes of the roof is to protect against weather and to prevent the ingress of water. This lead flashing installation guide will answer some of your questions about lead flashing.

Lead roof flashing is an integral part of any roofing structure and works to prevent the passage of water into the structure from a joint. Keep reading our lead flashing installation guide to find out more about lead flashing codes.

Before lead roof flashing was available, a variety of different methods were employed to prevent the ingress of water, such as angling shingles away from the joint, placing chimneys at the ridge, and building steps into the side of chimneys to throw off the water. The introduction of manufactured lead flashing codes meant that it could be used to decrease water penetration at joints such as chimneys, vent pipes, walls that abut roofs, and window and door openings.

Lead roof flashing with unique lead flashing codes can be exposed or concealed, and usually consists of a sheet metal such as lead, copper, or aluminium. It should incorporate expansion joints for long runs to prevent deformation of the metal sheets due to expansion and contraction, and should not stain or be stained by adjacent materials or react chemically with them.

There are three main types of flashing that are typically used in roofing applications and are discussed in our lead flashing installation guide: Apron flashing, Chimney flashing and Step flashing.

Apron flashing (also known as cover flashing) is the most common type of flashing used in roofing applications, mainly due to its versatility. This type of flashing can be used on the front and backs of chimneys, abutting brickwork on flat roofs, or where a roof meets the brickwork of a house or outbuilding. It is also used on slate and tile roofs where they meet a wall or a porch, on conservatory roofs, and around bay windows.

Step flashing allows a roof to abutt brickwork in situations where a lower height roof runs into a wall, a roof meets a chimney, or a conservatory roof meets the wall of a house. The step' refers to the pattern created in the lead by a series of cuts that allows the lead to penetrate into the courses between the bricks that resemble the steps of a staircase.

The reason for going to the trouble of creating the steps is so the bricks can remain un-cut and therefore undamaged, while it is also aesthetically pleasing.

Chimney flashing specifically prevents water from entering the building at the point where the chimney meets the roof.
Step flashing is typically used along the edges of the chimney stack.

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