Copper flashing refers to the sheet metal that is used to waterproof susceptible areas of the roof of a house. Such weak spots include areas where the roof comes together on an angle or joint or where irregular shapes are dominant because of the underlying design of the house. Once such example of an irregular angle and join being created is a chimney that juts out from the roof line. In this case copper chimney flashing and copper roofing are absolutely essential to ensure water does not collect in the joins and start to seep through.

Like copper gutters, copper flashing is so successful at keeping the water where it should be because it relies on the fact that the water must travel up the side of the roof in order to penetrate the flashing itself. Even in driving rain where there is a chance the wind could push the rain uphill so to speak, the design of the overlapping sheeting ensures that the upward force dissipates quickly.

Furthermore, existing building materials can be manufactured in such a way that they are undulating, which discourages many droplets of water to form into a continuous sheet where it has a greater chance of infiltrating your roofing system. It is important to understand that copper flashing rolls can also be applied in other areas around the home apart from merely the roofing surface. You can find them installed in such areas as:

• The walls of your home. Wall flashing is your last defense against water that has already seeped through the exterior surfaces of your home. It is usually found around doorways, windows and other points that are integral to the structure of the building.
• Under the sills of your windows. Otherwise known as sill copper flashing, it stops water from getting into your walls at the aforementioned vulnerable areas.
• The bases of your walls. Such flashing is there to not only prevent water causing damage but also to channel away any pre-existing water that may be in the process of causing problems. These drainage areas are called weep holes and they are usually found at the point where a roof line intersects a wall line.

As far as the copper flashing price is concerned, it is going to be one of the more expensive options of flashing, usually fetching higher prices than aluminum or galvanized stainless steel flashing. The price really depends on the size of copper flashing that you want to purchase. A standard 10 inch by 20 inch piece of flashing may set you back around $150 or so. If you want something smaller then a standard 8 inch by 20 inch piece which is can also act as a termite barrier will set you back around $50.