How Do You Fix Flashing Around Vent Plumbing on a Roof?

Every fixture that protrudes from your house’s roof must be sealed against moisture intrusion; otherwise, rain or other precipitation would introduce water into your house’s attic and lead to extensive water damage. Your plumbing’s vent pipes have flashings surrounding them to block against the entry of water. The part of the flashing that attaches to the vent pipe is a rubber boot, which may crack as it ages. Attached to the rubber boot is a square metal sheet that also keeps water from leaking around the pipe.

Pry bar
Rubber-washer screws
Screwdriver
New vent pipe flashing
Hammer
Roofing nails

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the vent pipe’s flashing, looking for damage to the flashing or rubber boot, or corrosion buildup on the flashing’s metal. Examine the nails on the perimeter of the flashing to see if they are pounded down tight and that the shingles above the roof vent sit over the flashing.
- 2
  Pry up the shingles that cover the top portion of the vent boot’s flashing, exposing the entire flashing to your view. Use a small pry bar to pop out the shingles’ nails and place the loose shingles nearby.
- 3
  Pull out the nails from the perimeter of the flashing using your pry bar. If the flashing and rubber boot are in good repair, drive rubber-washer screws through the mounting holes on the flashing’s perimeter.
- 4
  Lift the flashing up and off the roof and the plumbing vent pipe if the flashing or rubber boot need to be replaced. Slide a new flashing over the top of the vent pipe and onto the roof’s surface, and then drive rubber-washer screws through the flashing’s mounting holes
- 5
  Reposition the shingles that you removed from the top of the flashing. Drive roofing nails through the shingles to reattach them to the roof.

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