Why Is Lead Used For Flashing On Roofs

Lead can expand and contract with varying temperatures meaning that it can adapt to maintain the efficiency of your installed flashing.

Why is lead used for flashing on roofs.

Another thing to consider when using plastic pipe boots is the type of plumbing exhaust pipes that exit through your roof. Base flashing step flashing base flashing and step flashing are used where a vertical wall of the house intersects the surface of the roof deck. If your home has older cast iron pipes you will need to use lead boots for two different reasons. It is perfect to use on houses that are open to a variety of elements and different atmospheric temperatures.

The two main types of walls are. That means it could be dressed stretched around the contours of the roof making it as watertight as possible. The cost of lead has increased massively over the past 5 years. It is still used for this but is less common because of its.

Flashing is installed to surround roof features such as vents chimneys and skylights. Years ago almost all flashings were made from lead sheet. Despite recorded incidences now being on the decline the risk of lead theft remains. Roof flashing is a thin material usually galvanized steel that professional roofers use to direct water away from critical areas of the roof wherever the roof plane meets a vertical surface like a wall or a dormer.

Common types of roof flashing include. Now due to cost and because of concern about lead contamination materials such as zinc sheet rubber plastic and even waterproofed impregnated paper are also used. Cast iron pipes are not smooth walled pipes and as such the neoprene seal doesn t properly seal to the pipe. The cast iron pipe reacts with the neoprene seal and breaks down the seal prematurely.

It can be moulded to any shape is highly resistant to corrosion and non combustible making it ideal for all roofing applications. Lead is used because it is one of the most durable metals that exists. Lead is a soft easily worked metal which can be easily moulded to various shapes without cracking or splitting. Lead flashing was commonly used on chimneys around other roof penetrations such as vent pipes and roof junctions such as valleys.

Lead has been used in roof construction for centuries due to its superb malleability and low melting point. Flashing can be used around windows doors chimneys gutters basically any exterior joint where water needs to run off. Lead free flashings have become popular for 2 main reasons.