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Flashing

The metal or synthetic material installed at every roof transition point to prevent water infiltration — and one of the most consistently damaged, most frequently missed, and most important components in any Colorado roof insurance claim.

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What Flashing Is

Flashing is thin metal or synthetic material installed at the intersections, transitions, and penetrations of a roof where two surfaces meet or where the roof meets a vertical structure. Its purpose is singular and critical: to seal the gaps and transitions that shingles alone cannot waterproof. Every chimney, every wall, every valley, every pipe penetration, every skylight, and every transition between roof slopes requires flashing to function as a complete waterproofing system.

Without properly installed and maintained flashing, water finds every gap — because water always does. A roof with perfect shingles and failed flashing leaks. A roof with aging shingles and intact flashing often does not. Flashing is not a secondary component — it is the critical seal at every point where the primary roofing material cannot provide a continuous waterproof barrier on its own.

In Colorado’s hail corridor, flashing sustains direct storm damage from hail impact — denting, cracking, and displacement that compromises its waterproofing function — and is among the most consistently missed items in initial insurance estimates.

Types of Flashing and Where They Are Used

Different flashing types address different transition points on the roof. Understanding each type helps you verify that your insurance estimate addresses every applicable flashing location:

Step Flashing

Individual L-shaped metal pieces — typically 4×4 or larger — installed in an overlapping staircase pattern along the intersection of a roof slope and a vertical wall. Used wherever a sloped roof meets a wall, including dormer sidewalls, chimney sides, and additions that butt against the main roof. Each piece of step flashing overlaps the one below it and is covered by the adjacent siding course above, creating a continuous seal along the full length of the wall-to-roof transition.

Step flashing is one of the most critical waterproofing components on any roof with a wall transition — and one of the most frequently omitted or underscoped in insurance estimates. Hail impact on step flashing causes denting and displacement that breaks the seal and allows water infiltration at the wall base.

Counter Flashing

Metal flashing embedded into or applied against a vertical surface — typically a chimney or wall — that overlaps the step flashing below it, sealing the top edge of the step flashing system. Counter flashing is what prevents water from running behind the step flashing. When counter flashing is missing, cracked, or separated from the vertical surface, the step flashing beneath it is only partially effective regardless of its own condition.

Valley Flashing

Metal or woven shingle material installed in the valley — the internal angle where two roof slopes meet — to channel water runoff from both slopes into the gutter system below. Valleys concentrate the highest volume of water runoff on the roof and are among the highest-stress areas for waterproofing. Colorado’s combination of heavy snowmelt, spring rain, and hail events puts valley flashing under significant stress. Damaged or improperly installed valley flashing is a primary source of interior water damage in Colorado homes.

Kick-Out Flashing

A specialized flashing piece installed where a roof slope meets a vertical wall at the lower end — the point where the step flashing system terminates and water running down the wall needs to be directed away from the wall cladding and into the gutter. Without kick-out flashing, water runs from the roof directly behind the wall cladding at this transition point, causing chronic moisture damage to the wall assembly. Required by current building codes and frequently absent on older Colorado homes.

Pipe Flashing (Pipe Boots)

Rubber or metal collars that seal the penetration where plumbing vent pipes exit through the roof surface. Rubber pipe boots are the most common type on residential roofs and are among the most hail-vulnerable components on any roof — direct impact accelerates cracking and deterioration. Failed pipe boots are one of the leading causes of roof leaks on Colorado homes and are consistently undercounted or omitted from initial insurance estimates.

Chimney Flashing

A system of base flashing, step flashing, counter flashing, and — on chimneys wider than 30 inches — cricket flashing that creates a complete waterproof seal around a chimney where it penetrates the roof. Chimney flashing is among the most complex flashing systems on a residential roof and is one of the most common sources of interior water damage when any component fails. Hail damage to counter flashing and step flashing at chimney transitions is a covered storm damage item that is frequently missed during adjuster inspections.

Skylight Flashing

A pre-manufactured or site-built flashing system integrated with the skylight frame to seal the skylight penetration against water infiltration. Skylight flashing is vulnerable to hail impact and thermal movement. Failed skylight flashing causes water infiltration directly above living spaces — making it one of the higher-consequence flashing failure points on a residential roof.

Drip Edge

Metal flashing at the eave and rake edges of the roof that directs water away from the fascia and into the gutters. Technically a type of flashing despite being commonly referenced separately. Required by the 2021 IRC as adopted in Colorado Springs and one of the most consistently missing line items in initial insurance estimates on older homes.

Flashing Materials

Flashing is manufactured in several materials that vary in durability, cost, and application suitability:

  • Galvanized steel — the most common residential flashing material. Durable, cost-effective, and compatible with most roofing systems. Subject to corrosion over time in areas with prolonged moisture exposure.
  • Aluminum — lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and available in various colors. Cannot be used in direct contact with concrete or masonry without a barrier — alkaline materials accelerate aluminum corrosion. Common for drip edge and valley applications.
  • Copper — premium flashing material with exceptional longevity. Self-sealing at overlaps over time. Used on high-end installations and architecturally significant structures. Significantly more expensive than steel or aluminum.
  • Lead — extremely durable and malleable, used for complex formations around chimneys and penetrations. Less common in new residential construction but present on older homes and commercial buildings.
  • Rubber (EPDM) — used primarily for pipe boots and flexible penetration seals. Subject to UV degradation and hail impact cracking over time.

Why Flashing Is Consistently Missed in Insurance Estimates

Flashing damage and missing flashing are among the most consistently underscoped items in Colorado roof insurance estimates — for several specific reasons:

  • Visibility limitations — step flashing hidden beneath siding, counter flashing embedded in mortar joints, and kick-out flashing at wall bases are not visible without specific positioning and close inspection
  • Time pressure — thoroughly assessing every flashing location on a complex roof takes more time than most post-storm adjuster inspections allow
  • Desk adjuster limitations — remote assessments using photographs and satellite imagery cannot assess flashing condition at all — these items require in-person close inspection
  • Code upgrade knowledge gaps — kick-out flashing requirements, step flashing specifications, and counter flashing standards require specific code knowledge that not all adjusters have current
  • Sealant masking — prior roofing contractors sometimes apply caulk or roofing sealant over failed flashing as a temporary fix, masking the underlying failure during a surface inspection

Flashing as a Code Upgrade Item

Beyond storm damage replacement, flashing appears in Colorado roof claims as a code upgrade item when current installation standards require components that were absent in the original construction:

  • Kick-out flashing — required at all wall-to-roof transitions under current IRC standards. Frequently absent on older Colorado homes. A permitted roof replacement must include kick-out flashing where required — a code upgrade cost covered under the ordinance and law provision.
  • Step flashing specifications — current code requires specific step flashing dimensions and installation methods. Older homes with undersized or incorrectly installed step flashing may require upgrade to current standards during a permitted replacement.
  • Counter flashing — proper counter flashing at chimneys and walls is required by current installation standards. Homes with only caulked or surface-applied counter flashing may require upgrade to embedded counter flashing during replacement.

Documenting Flashing Damage

Flashing damage requires specific documentation because it is not always visually dramatic — a dented pipe boot or separated counter flashing is easy to overlook in a broad photograph. Effective flashing documentation includes:

  • Close-up photographs of each type of flashing at each location — step flashing runs, counter flashing at chimneys, valley flashing, pipe boots, and kick-out flashing
  • Wide shots establishing the location of each flashing component on the roof relative to recognizable features
  • Photographs specifically showing hail impact dents, separation, displacement, or cracking — not just the component itself
  • Photographs of any sealant that may be masking failed flashing beneath
  • Interior photographs of any water staining or damage that can be connected to a specific flashing failure location

Common Flashing Questions

My insurance estimate does not include step flashing. How do I get it added?

Submit a supplement request with photographs of the step flashing at each wall transition showing hail damage or displacement, the linear footage of step flashing runs on your roof, and the applicable Xactimate line item for step flashing installation. If the step flashing is absent or undersized rather than just damaged, reference the applicable code requirement for the supplement. Step flashing at dormers and wall transitions is one of the most commonly omitted flashing items and one of the most defensible supplement requests.

How do I know if my kick-out flashing is installed correctly?

Look at the lower end of each wall-to-roof transition — where the step flashing system ends and the gutter begins. Proper kick-out flashing appears as a bent metal piece that directs water from the roof slope away from the wall and into the gutter. If you see the roof slope ending directly at the wall without any metal piece directing water away, kick-out flashing is absent. Interior water staining on the wall at this location — often mistaken for a roof leak — is a sign of missing or failed kick-out flashing.

My chimney flashing was repaired with caulk by a previous contractor. Does that affect my claim?

Caulk applied over failing chimney flashing is a temporary patch that masks the underlying failure. When tear-off removes the shingles and the sealant, the condition of the underlying flashing becomes visible. If the flashing failure beneath the sealant can be connected to storm-related damage — or if the sealant repair itself has failed and allowed water infiltration — that supports a claim for proper flashing replacement rather than ongoing patch repairs. Document the condition of the flashing before it is removed and before any new sealant is applied.

What is the difference between base flashing and counter flashing at a chimney?

Base flashing — sometimes called step flashing — is installed against the lower and side faces of the chimney, integrated with the surrounding shingles. It directs water away from the chimney base and into the field of the roof. Counter flashing is installed above the base flashing, embedded into the chimney mortar joints or applied against the chimney face, and laps down over the base flashing to seal its top edge. The two work together — base flashing handles the water at roof level while counter flashing prevents water from running behind the base flashing from above. Both must be intact for the chimney transition to be waterproof.

How Claim Advocacy Helps With Flashing Claims

Flashing is the most technically detailed category of roof components — and the one most likely to be underscoped in initial estimates. Getting every flashing location properly documented and included requires specific knowledge of what to look for and where.

  • Comprehensive flashing inspection — specifically inspecting every flashing location on the roof — step flashing runs, counter flashing, valley flashing, pipe boots, kick-out flashing, and chimney systems — during post-storm assessments
  • Damage documentation — photographing hail impact and displacement at each flashing location in a way that clearly establishes storm causation
  • Code upgrade identification — identifying missing kick-out flashing, undersized step flashing, and improperly installed counter flashing as code upgrade items for the ordinance and law supplement
  • Sealant masking assessment — identifying locations where sealant may be masking failed flashing and documenting the underlying condition when tear-off reveals it
  • Supplement preparation — submitting flashing supplements with specific line item references, linear footage measurements, and supporting photographs in Xactimate format

Related Glossary Terms

Missing Flashing on Your Insurance Estimate?

Flashing is the most consistently underscoped category in Colorado roof insurance estimates — and the most technically important for long-term waterproofing performance. A free inspection covers every flashing location on your roof so you know exactly what your claim should include before your carrier finalizes a settlement that may be leaving critical components out of the scope.

📞 Call to discuss your claim: (719) 210-8699
📧 Email: gerald@winik.io

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