Executive Summary: Longboat Key Roofing is reporting 2026 field observations involving recurring roof-to-wall flashing problems in older tile-and-stucco homes. President and CEO James Peel said crews frequently uncover concealed conditions where roofing meets walls, chimneys and front-entry structures. The findings highlight how aging flashing, stucco interfaces and long-term water exposure can affect adjoining building components and sometimes change the sequence of roof repair or replacement work.
SARASOTA, Fla. — Longboat Key Roofing is reporting recurring roof-to-wall flashing problems identified during roofing, repair, and leak-diagnostic work completed in 2026. President and CEO James Peel said the company is encountering deterioration involving wall flashing, stucco interfaces, roof-to-wall transitions and chimney components that may not be fully visible during an initial surface evaluation.
“It’s three out of every four jobs,” Peel said, referring to roof repair and replacement projects where crews open older tile roof systems and expose roof-to-wall transitions.
Peel said the pattern is most often encountered in older tile-and-stucco homes in established Sarasota-area neighborhoods, particularly where roofing meets walls, chimneys and front-entry structures.
“Usually when you open it up, you see the stucco crumbling a little bit at the edge,” Peel said. “You can’t see it as the homeowner because the tile sits up about an inch or so.”
Peel explained he sees many of these conditions in neighborhoods developed during earlier periods of Sarasota residential growth. Based on what crews uncover during roofing work, he said materials and installation conditions can vary from home to home.
Peel said older homes may contain galvanized flashing, while newer roofing assemblies may use different coated-metal products. Sheffield Metals reports that Galvalume generally provides greater corrosion resistance than galvanized steel, while cautioning that it is not recommended in close coastal environments where salt exposure can prematurely degrade the coating.
Front-entry walls are one area where Peel observed problems frequently become apparent. Sloped roof sections and cricket areas can repeatedly direct runoff toward the same vertical surface, and some of those areas have received concentrated water exposure for 20 to 30 years.
“A lot of water punishes those walls,” Peel said. “If your stucco isn’t on point and that flashing isn’t right, over time it can deteriorate, and the wall starts to break loose and fall apart.”
Once those areas are opened, Peel stated crews may find adjoining materials that require further evaluation before roofing work continues. During leak investigations, that evaluation can also include cracks around chimneys, water staining in accessible portions of the structure and evidence that moisture is traveling behind existing flashing. These conditions can involve more than one building component.
That distinction was demonstrated in a previously reported persistent leak investigation involving a Sarasota home. Previous repair attempts had focused on the roofing around a chimney before the continuing water intrusion was ultimately traced to corroded flashing concealed behind the adjoining wall.
A detailed roof inspection can identify some warning signs before work begins, although certain conditions may remain concealed until roofing materials are removed.
Chimneys and chimney caps create additional points where roofing and adjoining structures meet. Depending on what crews uncover, some projects may also require wall or stucco work after tear-off before roofing installation can continue.
Peel said that can change the normal sequence of a roofing project. In some cases, crews complete tear-off, coordinate the necessary wall or stucco work, and then continue roofing installation once the adjoining condition has been addressed.
Longboat Key Roofing said its 2026 field observations reinforce the importance of evaluating adjoining structures when older tile-and-stucco roof systems are opened.
Longboat Key Roofing provides residential roof replacement, repair, and inspection services in Sarasota and surrounding Gulf Coast communities. The company works with tile roofing systems, metal, aluminum, and shingle roofing systems and holds Florida roofing license CCC-1337641.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roof-to-wall flashing is metal installed where a roof meets a vertical wall to help direct water away from the joint. On tile-and-stucco homes, portions of the flashing may extend behind exterior finishes, which can make deterioration difficult to see until roofing materials or wall components are opened.
Tile can sit above the roof surface and cover the edges of adjoining materials, while portions of flashing may extend behind stucco or other wall finishes. As a result, corrosion, deteriorated stucco or moisture pathways may not be fully visible during a surface-level evaluation and can become clearer once the area is opened.
Possible signs include recurring leaks near walls or chimneys, water staining, deteriorated stucco edges, corrosion around flashing, or moisture appearing behind adjoining materials. These signs do not identify the source by themselves, but they can indicate that the roof-to-wall area deserves closer evaluation during an inspection or repair.
Yes. James Peel said the company encounters these conditions during both roof repair and replacement projects when crews open older tile roof systems. The extent of what can be seen depends on how much of the roofing or adjoining area is opened, which is why some concealed conditions are not apparent beforehand.
Chimneys, front-entry walls and similar vertical structures create points where roofing, flashing and walls intersect. Roof slopes and cricket areas can also direct runoff toward these surfaces. Over many years, repeated water exposure can contribute to deterioration, making these areas important to evaluate when investigating leaks or opening an aging roof system.