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General: Lead flashing

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1 to 18 of 18

  1.  
    • CommentAuthorjonathan
    • CommentTimeNov 7th 2007
     
    I have to make some penetrations through a sweet-chestnut shingled roof to support a solar box. I therefore need to use some sort of flashing which in other times of hedonistic treadmill would have been Lead. What alternatives are there now, please? I could find salvage Lead flashing, but I want to be able to defend any questions about the method, and show I have considered other options. Thanks for any help. Jonathan
    • CommentAuthorchuckey
    • CommentTimeNov 7th 2007
     
    you dont say what shape opening you are making. Something based on a decent piece of wood coated with tar/pitch could be made to work. In my local village there are at least two houses still using wooden gutters.
    Frank
    • CommentAuthorjonathan
    • CommentTimeNov 7th 2007
     
    Thanks, yes, omission. I intend to have 8 Number, 50mm supports coming up through the shingles to support the solar box. The supports will locate ontop of the 100mm posts that support the shingled roof. I therefore need flashing to go over the penetrated shingles, and surround the supports.J
  4.  
    To my mind, lead is still the greenest option, especially if it is reused
  5.  
    How about copper? Looks gorgeous when first installed and should last a long time.

    Paul in Montreal
  6.  
    Recycled aluminium printing plates - my material of the month!
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeNov 7th 2007
     
    old car tyre inner tube?
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeNov 7th 2007
     
    Lead is very good, recyclable, long lasting, green.

    Probably the best as it can be formed into difficult shapes easily
  9.  
    Posted By: tonyold car tyre inner tube?


    Rubber is destroyed by UV radiation.

    Copper is also recyclable, as is aluminium (and lead of course). All three are long-lasting, but copper and lead are easier to work with and solder whereas aluminium is very difficult to solder without specialist equipment. Speaking from experience, galvanized steel only lasts around 95 years.

    Paul in Montreal.
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeNov 8th 2007
     
    You've seen a few 95yrs come and go, eh, Paul?
  11.  
    If the flashing is in any way accessible to thieves, I'd avoid lead and copper. Guy across the road from me has just been "relieved" of the lead hip flashings off his single storey extension. Its getting rough around here... glad I'm moving next weekend.
  12.  
    Posted By: fostertomYou've seen a few 95yrs come and go, eh, Paul?


    Gosh, you outed me as a Time Lord :wink:

    As for the 95 years quote, there are quite a few buildings of that vintage around where I live an pretty much all of them have had their galvanized flashing in a state with so much rust that they require replacement. We opted for copper because of the heritage designation of the house and the fact that it should last a long time. The old slates had lasted around 108 years but were pretty much at the end of their life (the seasonal changes here can be tough due to the extremes of temperature from the -30s to the +35s). Lead flashing is pretty much unknown here from what I've seen, the majority being galvanized steel or copper, sometimes aluminium (the latter usually on more modern buildings).

    As for thefts, copper is just started making the news (there was a story this morning). In the US, air conditioner condensers are now a popular target.

    Paul in Montreal
  13.  
    Nothing wrong with lead - it has to be a lot greener than any modern plastic. As it's always been an expensive metal, most lead is resmelted (which, sadly, also explains the attraction of large areas of lead to thieves) so the embodied energy per square metre is probably less than copper or zinc. It lasts for ages, is easy to use and looks 'right' for those who care about such things.
    • CommentAuthorMike George
    • CommentTimeNov 12th 2007 edited
     
    • CommentAuthorjonathan
    • CommentTimeNov 12th 2007
     
    Thanks very much for all those interesting comments. I feel encouraged by the Salvage Lead argument. Close to Source is a mindset that I adhere to, we have a scrapyard a mile away!
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeNov 12th 2007
     
    Mike 30 years expected life seems a bit short? Well done lead = 100+ ?

    Most roofing materials should last longer than 30 yrs too.
  17.  
    Yes, I agree, I still think lead is best.
    • CommentAuthordavid
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2007
     
    I use copper for some flashings.
    I get it by recycling old copper hot water cylinders. I cut the top and bottom off with a jigsaw and get quite a big piece for next to nothing.
    I make a bonfire and heat it to red heat to anneal it and make it easy to work .

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