The advantages of lead flashing for roofs

The damage and the inconvenience that a leaking roof can cause can be extremely problematic.

The repair costs for damages to the roof itself, as well as other areas of your home or business premises that may have suffered water damage, can be insurmountable, and this is where roof flashing comes in.

This thin layer of waterproof material can securely protect your roof from water and ensure that it doesn’t seep back in through any gaps and crevices. 

There are different variations of roof flashing based on the materials used such as copper, aluminium, PVC, galvanised steel and lead- each with their own benefits and levels of durability. 

So what makes lead a favourable option for a building material when it comes to flashing?

Solid & reliable

Lead flashing is great for long-term water damage prevention and acts as an excellent barrier. It’s a particularly durable material that is resistant to many of the elements as well as certain levels of potential corrosion. 

The lead material is not only more resilient to certain factors but also has the added bonus of being about to provide your home with better heat insulation and even sound resistance.

Suppleness & shaping

Another benefit that lead has which makes it a lot easier to work with than many other potential materials is its flexibility. 

Lead can be shaped and fashioned into whichever form is required by the project or size and shape of the roof. But this has no bearing on its strength as it is particularly tough and robust and it’s certainly not a flashing material that will simply give way or collapse. 

Resilience & reassurance

Owing to its durability, lead is a popular choice with many trades’ people for use in chimney-based flashing. But thanks to its ability to both contract and expand when set at different temperatures it can quickly settle in place. 

This means that is has quality resilience to the outside elements so when the weather heats up during the summer months or takes a sudden drop in the winter the lead flashing will adapt as necessary. 

So there’ll be no need to worry about things going awry on a seasonal basis and it will hopefully eliminate any future maintenance or repairs.

Costs and where to buy

Lead flashing has always been a popular choice for trade’s people and you should be able to purchase it from any reputable building supplier. 

Jewson Tools have a range of lead flashing products available for reasonable prices so it’s worth checking out their site or alternatively a quick Google search should provide good recommendations.