Low pitch roofing is becoming more common as an increasing number of townhouses are built and we try to maximise for height. Low pitch roofing angles can vary, and this needs to be considered for any roof penetration installation.

The unique feature of Hometech's proprietary flashings is that you can use the same flashing from 45 degrees all the way down to 5 degrees. For low pitch roofs under 3 degrees, they offer options using a standard tray flashing or an upstand. They also use a standard 250mm diameter penetration to suit a wide range of applications.

For Solatube skylights, this means the same product model can be specified for a wide variety of roof angles unlike traditional skylights that require different models to be specified based on roof pitch.

For ventilation, most installations rely on a flat dektite style roof flashing on a tray or moulded to the roof and sealed with silicon. Over time, and with roof movement, this silicon can fail. It’s one of the reasons you’ll see few ventilation installs with a warranty longer than 1-2 years.

Hometech and Solatube both use the same BRANZ appraised proprietary flashings which have a 10-year leak proof guarantee. These flashings integrate into the roof profile with an under-soaker design where the flashing laps under the roofing material above. The flashing profile is matched to the roof so it can sit tight against the roofing. A foam seal and compression fit are used to create a watertight layer to prevent wicking. Hometech's installers and licensees are all highly trained and know how important it is to get the installation right.

The flashings come with extra clever features as well. The profile is designed to have the turret offset from the roofing material to avoid water collection. In fact, where the turret spans multiple troughs, gullies run around the turret to ensure any water runs off. Flashings come with additional caps and foam to do the final seal on the most at risk points, the top corner junctions. To top it all off, the bottom edge sits above the roofing below so that the water flows down and off the flashing.

Key benefits:

• BRANZ appraised; 10-year leakproof guarantee
• Use the same proprietary flashing on roof pitches from 45 degrees down to 5 degrees; options for roof pitches under 3 degrees
• Same product model can be specified for a variety of roof pitches