What Are Common Metal Roofing Accessories?

Metal panels are the most prominent component within a metal roofing system. Their size, shape, and color dominate a home’s curb appeal. However, without complimentary roofing accessories, a metal roofing system’s performance will be compromised. Roofing accessories perform the functions of:

• Providing essential water shedding and preventing water infiltration,
• Ensuring that the roof system is properly ventilated,
• Securing the metal panels to the roof.

Accessories that perform water shedding and prevent water infiltration functions include:

• Drip Edge or Eave Flashing: Used to direct water away from fascia and into gutters
• Valley Flashing: Used to guide water flow between roof transitions that create a “valley” shape
• Chimney Flashing: Used to prevent water infiltration around chimney stacks
• Rake Flashing: lh to add????
• Pipe Flashing: Used to prevent water infiltration around vents and pipes which protrude through the roof deck
• Sealants, Tapes and Caulks: Used to prevent water infiltration between joints, seams and other potential locations of water entry
• Gutters and Downspouts: Used to direct water away from roof and foundation

Accessories that perform water shedding and prevent water infiltration functions include:

• Ridge Vent: Enhances air flow from the attic space, and often provides a secondary function of preventing water infiltration at the roof ridges
• Eave Vent: Used to facilitate air intake at eaves

Accessories to secure metal panels to the roof deck:

• Fasteners: Specially designed screws to attach metal panels to the roof deck
• Eave Vent: Used to facilitate air intake at eaves

Other accessories include:

• Closure Strips: Used to prevent debris and bugs from entering open areas between metal panel ribs and roof deck
• Underlayment: Attached to the top of the deck surface for the purpose of providing an additional layer of water and moisture protection