Step Flashing

What This Service Involves

Step flashing is a series of bent metal pieces woven shingle-by-shingle into the joint where a sloped roof runs alongside a wall, such as a dormer or a second-story exterior. Done correctly, each piece overlaps the one below so water steps down and out; done poorly with a single continuous strip and caulk, it fails fast under our persistent rain. We see countless leaks in Puget Sound homes traced to reversed or missing step flashing hidden behind the siding. Our crews lace each piece into the roofing and tuck it beneath the wall cladding or counter flashing so the wall's water is delivered safely onto the roof surface. This detail is small but decisive for a dry interior.

Benefits

Correctly channels sidewall runoff onto the roof and away from the wall cavity; Prevents the concealed leaks that rot framing behind siding; Replaces failure-prone continuous strip flashing with woven, layered pieces; Integrates cleanly beneath siding or counter flashing for a lasting seal; Protects dormers and multi-story wall junctions from wind-driven rain

Our Process

1) Expose the roof-to-wall joint and remove any reversed or failed flashing; 2) Weave individual step pieces into each course of roofing along the wall; 3) Tuck the vertical leg beneath the siding or counter flashing; 4) Seal terminations and confirm water sheds onto the roof surface

What Affects the Cost

Length of the roof-to-wall run being flashed; Whether siding must be lifted or removed to access the joint; Discovery of rot in the wall sheathing behind old flashing; Metal choice and coordination with existing counter flashing; Roof pitch and height affecting labor and safety setup

Best Time of Year

Step flashing work is best tackled in dry summer weather, particularly when siding must be opened up to reach the joint.