Got a spot where your roof meets a wall or chimney? That’s where apron flashing comes in. We fit these metal strips to stop water from getting into those hidden, but important, joints. Heritage Plumbing will help you sort out the installation and repair of these flashings so your roof stays watertight.
Apron flashing is a bent piece of metal that sits where your roof butts up against something vertical – usually a wall, chimney, or the side of a dormer. Water loves finding its way into these joints, and without flashing, you’re in a tricky spot. Rain will seep behind your roofing, soak into the timber, and next thing you know, there’s a brown stain spreading across your ceiling. We use tough materials like Colorbond steel that won’t rust out after a few years. The flashing sits over your roof tiles or sheeting, then tucks up against the wall with proper sealing. It’s not fancy, but it works just great. When it’s done right, water hits the flashing and runs straight off your roof where it belongs. We’ve been fitting these for years around Melbourne, and a good apron flashing setup will outlast most other parts of your roof. It’s one of those things you don’t think about until it fails.
Here’s why apron flashing installation is worth doing properly. First up, it stops leaks dead in their tracks. Those joints between your roof and walls are the number one spot for water to sneak in, especially during heavy downpours. Flashing blocks it completely. Second, you’re protecting your house frame from rot. Water damage in roof timbers gets expensive fast – we’re talking thousands to fix structural problems. Third, it keeps the wildlife out. Birds and possums will squeeze through the smallest gaps if there’s no flashing blocking them. We’ve pulled some pretty big nests out of roof spaces where flashing was missing. Fourth, your roof looks finished and professional instead of being bodged together. And lastly, good flashing means you’re not calling us back every time there’s a storm because something’s leaking. Do it once, do it right, and forget about it for decades.
Any spot where your roof joins something vertical needs apron flashing – that’s walls, chimneys, skylight sides, or those little bump-outs some houses have. If you’re building new, it goes in from the start. But here’s when you need to call us for existing roofs: water stains appearing on inside walls near the roofline, damp patches that show up after rain, paint bubbling or peeling where the wall meets the roof, or visible rust and holes in old flashing. Sometimes you’ll spot that the flashing itself has come loose or bent away from the wall. That’s letting water straight in. Other times, there’s just no flashing there at all – some dodgy builder skipped it to save a few dollars. If you think something’s not right, climb up and have a look (carefully, mate) or just give us a call. We’ll tell you straight whether it needs fixing.
Not every roof gets the same flashing because not every roof is built the same way. For standard-pitched tile roofs, we use stepped apron flashing that follows your roof angle and laps over the tiles. Colorbond roofing gets flashing that’s screwed down and sealed with Sikaflex. Flat or low-pitch roofs need wider flashing with a bigger upstand against the wall – water sits around longer on these roofs, so you need better protection. Chimneys are their own beast. They need flashing on all four sides, usually custom-made to fit. Brick chimneys get flashing that tucks into the mortar joints. Skylights need apron flashing at the bottom edge where water runs off. We measure everything on site because every house is different. The flashing we use is either Colorbond steel (comes in colours to match your roof) or Zincalume if you don’t care about looks. Both handle our weather without drama.
Look, you could buy some flashing from Bunnings and have a go yourself. But here’s what usually happens – the angles are wrong, water still gets in, and six months later you’re calling a plumber anyway. Our team at Heritage Plumbing have done this hundreds of times. We know exactly how much overlap you need, where to put the fasteners, and how to seal it so water can’t creep behind. We’ll check your roof pitch, cut the flashing to fit properly, and make sure it ties in with your existing roofing. Whether it’s one chimney or a whole house renovation, we use the same careful approach. The materials we supply are commercial-grade, not the thin stuff that gets damaged in a storm. When we’re done, your apron flashing roof will be sorted for years. No leaks, no callbacks, no worries. That’s why people around Melbourne keep using us – we actually fix things properly.
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Need a reliable plumber near you? Heritage Plumbing Group offers expert solutions across Melbourne with fast response times and top-quality service.
Our licensed team brings decades of local expertise, ensuring efficient, long-lasting results for emergencies, maintenance, and major projects.
