How Metal Building and Roof Flashing Keeps Your Structures Protected

A metal building is more than four walls and a roof. It’s actually a complex coming-together of ventilation systems, building panels and accessories such as cupolas and roof flashing, all designed to carry out a unique purpose. When combined, those elements create spaces that make it easier to carry out your company’s work, store products and go about day-to-day business in general. 

And at Metallic Products, we believe every aspect of that system deserves to be recognized in its own right.

Take metal building flashing, for instance. Though not quite as flashy (pun absolutely intended) as a structure’s power vents or ridge vents, this tool of the trade pulls a lot of weight when it comes to keeping your structure better protected on the whole. Let’s take a moment to dig into metal building and roof flashing — what it is, the purpose it serves and what to look for when purchasing it for your steel buildings.

Covering the Basics: What is Metal Building Flashing?
Metal building flashing is like an industrial raincoat for your structures. Comprised of waterproof material, it’s installed in areas prone to leaks and moisture, such as around windows, vents, walls, doorways and building joints. At Metallic Products, as you might guess, our flashing is made of metal.

Flashing’s job is to keep moisture out, and it does its work with help from strategically engineered angles. By redirecting rainwater, condensation and the like away from problem areas — and toward safer spots such as gutters and downspouts — it keeps metal building interiors high and dry, and helps ward off the damaging effects moisture can have.

Why is it Important to Keep Moisture Out of Your Metal Buildings?
Moisture infiltration can spell trouble for your steel buildings in all sorts of ways. Not only can it result in damaged insulation, rust and corrosion that require costly replacement, but it can lead to mold and mildew formation that stirs up allergies and makes working conditions unsafe. Increased humidity levels also create uncomfortable, sometimes unhealthy environments, while leaked water in general just tends to make spaces look bad.

The good news is, metal building flashing is a relatively inexpensive way to provide added protection against unwanted water. Easy installation and few (if any) ongoing maintenance needs make this one metal building accessory that really makes sense.

What to Look for with Quality Metal Building and Roof Flashing
It probably comes as no surprise that not all metal building flashing is created equal. There are nearly as many varieties of flashing out there as there are building types — and each flashing manufacturer goes about things in a different way. Here are some things to consider when you begin searching for a product — and company — you can trust.

• Find a Roof Flashing Geared Toward Your Specific Metal Building: A solid seal is the most important factor when it comes to keeping moisture safely out. For that reason, your flashing should be designed for your structure’s unique shape, needs and roof or wall panel type.
  At Metallic Products, for instance, our die formed flashing is available in “R” and “M/U” panel profiles. It also works for a number of custom applications — wall-to-roof transition flashing, ventilator skirt flashing, roof-to-wall flashing and even high-side eave flashing.
• Look for Flashing that Improves Your Building’s Aesthetic: Although looks aren’t everything, they certainly don’t hurt. We encourage seeking out a roof flashing provider that can provide colors and finishes that work well with your building’s color palette. (After all, while it is possible to paint your metal building accessories after the fact, doing so can be a logistical headache. It can also result in rogue paint drips that cause eyesores.) Metallic Products’ metal building flashing is available in Galvalume, Polar White and other standard and special color options as needed.
• Work with a Roof Flashing Provider That Can Help in Other Ways, too: Steel building projects can be massive undertakings, thanks to the vast number of parts and pieces that come into play — and the sheer number of people required to help it reach success. If you find a roof flashing manufacturer that isn’t just a trusted figure in the industry, but offers other accessories, too, we encourage making the most of the relationship.
  As an example, at Metallic Products we design and manufacture a wide range of building vents, canopies and related accessories. (That’s in addition to our roof flashing.) Our goal is to lower the number of phone calls it takes to complete your project, eliminate jobsite stresses and help your steel building project reach success.
• Find a Company Others in Your Industry Trust: While the quality of your roof flashing is important, there are other factors that impact your projects in big ways, too. Failing to meet deadlines, accommodate change orders or stay within budget can all damage relationships with your clients, for instance, and make it difficult to regain trust.
  We recommend doing business with a company that has a proven track record of quality products and service. And the best way to find such a company is often to ask around. Talk with friends and colleagues about companies they’ve done business with in the past, what that experience was like — and whether they’d hire them back.
  Delving into your potential accessory provider’s website can also provide important information about how long they’ve been around and what values the team finds most important. Metallic Products has been around for more than 60 years, and we created the metal building accessory industry as you know it today. (Really, we did! This blog post lays out all sorts of details surrounding our history.)

Roof flashing — and metal building flashing as a whole — does a lot for your structures, and we’re glad to give the accessory its moment in the spotlight. If you have questions about any of the above, or if you’re interested in learning how we can help with flashing needs for your upcoming steel building project, feel free to contact the Metallic Products team. We’re here to help, and we look forward to hearing from you!