Yes — every roof needs flashing, without exception. Flashing is the metal material installed wherever your roof transitions, changes direction, or is penetrated by something coming through it. It’s the detail work that keeps water out at the points where shingles alone can’t do the job.
Flashing is used in several key locations:
Valleys — where two roof slopes meet and water concentrates. Valley flashing directs that water flow efficiently off the roof rather than allowing it to pool or work its way beneath shingles.
Roof-to-wall transitions — anywhere a roof plane meets a vertical wall surface, step flashing is woven with the shingles course by course to create a watertight seal along the entire transition.
Chimneys — one of the most complex flashing details on any roof. Done correctly it’s a two-piece system that accounts for the chimney’s movement relative to the roof structure.
Pipe penetrations — every pipe, vent, or mast coming through your roof needs a properly matched flashing boot sealed around it.
Skylights — the perimeter of any skylight requires flashing to prevent water infiltration at the frame.
Flashing is one of the most common sources of leaks on any roof — not because it’s a weak system, but because it’s frequently installed incorrectly or skipped altogether by contractors cutting corners. When we install or replace a roof, every flashing detail is addressed. When we inspect a roof, flashing is one of the first things we look at.