NRCA Metal Flashings study guide
NRCA Metal Flashings · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The NRCA Metal Flashings credential is a professional certificate for roofing and waterproofing practitioners who fabricate and install sheet-metal flashings - the details that keep water out at roof edges, walls, penetrations, and drainage points. It is aimed at roofing mechanics, sheet-metal workers, foremen, estimators, and inspectors who want documented evidence that they understand both the metallurgy and the field craft, not just one trade's half of it. The NRCA Metal Flashings study guide has 8 sections and about 2,670 words.
01Metal flashing materials and metallurgy
Metal flashing performance starts with matching alloy, temper, thickness and coating to exposure, forming method and adjacent materials. The exam tests why a metal fails in service, not just whether you can name copper or aluminum.
309 words, about 2 min02Fabrication fundamentals: shop and field layout, forming, soldering, brazing, welding, fastening and sealants
Fabrication converts flat coil or sheet into watertight, dimensionally stable flashing. The exam tests layout math, bend allowance, joining method and fastener/sealant compatibility.
333 words, about 2 min03Roof drainage flashings: gutters, downspouts, scuppers, conductors, expansion joints and overflow provisions
Drainage flashings collect and discharge roof water without ponding, overflow or damage from thermal movement. The exam tests sizing, slope, outlet redundancy and expansion details.
341 words, about 2 min04Roof penetration flashings: vent stacks, pipes, curbs, chimneys, skylights and equipment supports
Penetration flashings must keep water out at the roof-to-pipe or roof-to-curb junction while allowing movement, maintenance and drainage. The exam tests curb height, flange embedment, counterflashing and cricket details.
329 words, about 2 min05Wall and through-wall flashings, counterflashings, reglets, copings and parapet terminations
Through-wall flashings intercept water inside a wall and lead it out through weep openings. The exam tests continuity, end dams, laps, reglets and counterflashing coordination.
334 words, about 2 min06Base flashings, edge metal, drip edges, gravel stops and roof-to-wall transitions
Base flashings, edge metal and roof-to-wall transitions terminate the roof system and shed water away from the building. The exam tests edge securement, drip geometry, gravel-stop profile and transition sequencing.
345 words, about 2 min07Dissimilar-metal contact, galvanic corrosion, electrolysis and isolation detailing
Dissimilar-metal contact becomes a galvanic cell when two metals with different potentials touch in the presence of an electrolyte such as rain, condensation or salt spray. The exam tests which metal corrodes, how area ratio changes the risk and how to isolate details.
354 words, about 2 min08Codes, standards, manufacturer instructions and safe work practices for metal flashing installation
Code, standard and manufacturer requirements define minimum flashing performance, but the governing detail is usually the most restrictive applicable requirement. The exam tests adoption, load and drainage provisions, product instructions and safe work practices.
325 words, about 2 min