One of the great things about being a home inspector is that there is an endless supplyof things to get ones Underoos all in a bunch about! (Those of you that had kids growing up in the 70's will remember Underoos---maybe they are still around?). This pet peeve is another roofing issue. On almost every roof pipes have to go through the roof, whether it is the electrical mast or the plumbing venting.
Sometime I will blog about some "crazy and/or funky" ways people have flashed these pipe penetrations, but today my peeve involves the use of "approved" types of flashings----but with no consideration for the type of roof they are being used on. There are, for example, rubber boot type flashings that typically have a life of about 15-20 years (if you are lucky and hold your breath just right). Why would anyone consider using these types of flashings on a roof designed to last 20-40 years? I see this ALLthe time . Here are a couple of pictures of the cheapo rubber boot flashings:
The one on the left is installed on a 20-30 year roof, the one on the right is most likely consistent with the expected life of wood shingles---but is installed just plain funky (remember when wood shakes used to be considered a 50 year roof?----well neither do I, but I have been told that they could last that long---in the good ole days).
The flashings I like to see are lead---and they are a "beautiful thing!" Not only do they provide a very long lived solution to the problem but even have nice counter flashings to finish off the top. Sometimes roofers will merely fold the flashing inside the pipe, but the counter-flashings look really cool and are necessary if the pipe sticks past the flashing. The two pictures on the left show nice versions of this. The picture on the right shows one where the counter-flashing is missing.
Charles Buell
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I don't think I'll ever forget my lead flashing story.
I bought an investment home where the squirrels had chewed on all the lead flashings. My home inspector commented that those crazy squirrels that dash across the road in front of cars really are crazy...from lead poisoning.
Charles, I totally agree. Home inspectors have an endless supply of blog fodder out there and we do not have to search that much to find it. I like the first picture. Looks as if unhandy Andy strikes again. 8-}
I like it best when they put a vent in the center of some roof valley, with the flashing hanging out on the sides. You wonder if they could not have found a little more suitable location for the vent, where it might actually fit. As for your underoos. Sorry to hear it. Keep on blogging despite the pain.
Charles - I need to stop by more often. You always make my day. There is never a dull moment in the life of an inspector.
I turned in a name for a mascot in one of our Texas groups, called him TEX, if you go over go over and vote for TEX. You don't have to be from Texas. Here is the link.
http://activerain.com/blogsview/386891/L-M-s-THE
Thanks, Carl