The 2022 update to the National Construction Code (NCC) brought significant changes for builders, architects, and contractors working with roofing, flashings, and rainwater products. In Victoria, further provisions from NCC 2022 came into effect in May 2024, raising expectations around energy efficiency, moisture management, and overall building performance. While many of these changes relate to thermal performance and accessibility, the requirements for roofing, flashings, and rainwater goods remain a critical part of overall compliance — especially as weather events become more extreme and regulators demand higher construction standards.
PPC Flashings, a Victorian-based manufacturer, supplies high-quality metal flashings and rainwater products designed to meet these requirements. Whether you’re working with COLORBOND®, ZINCALUME®, stainless steel, or galvanised steel, understanding how these products align with NCC 2022 is critical to ensuring your project remains compliant and performs to standard.
The Role of Flashings and Rainwater Products in Compliance
Metal flashings and rainwater goods serve multiple functions on a building, from directing rainwater safely away to preventing leaks, protecting the structure, and improving fire resistance. With the updated NCC 2022 provisions, there’s a renewed focus on ensuring these components are not only correctly installed but are made from compliant materials.
Key areas of compliance to be aware of include:
- Waterproofing and weatherproofing standards
- Fire resistance and non-combustibility
- Drainage performance and overflow provisions
- Installation to recognised standards
Let’s break down what builders and architects need to know.
Waterproofing and Weatherproofing
Roof flashings play a vital role in preventing water ingress at roof junctions, penetrations, valleys, and parapet walls. The latest NCC places a strong emphasis on weatherproofing the building envelope, with detailed requirements for how roofs and associated components like flashings must perform under wind-driven rain and severe weather conditions.
PPC Flashings provides a wide range of apron flashings, parapet cappings, ridge cappings, and valley flashings manufactured to ensure proper water shedding and joint sealing. Using durable, Australian-made materials such as COLORBOND® steel or stainless steel helps maintain long-term weatherproofing performance.
Correct installation is also critical. Flashings must be designed and fitted with sufficient lap lengths, correct falls, and secure fixings to prevent water entry. Working with custom-fabricated flashings tailored to your project reduces the risk of poor fits and ensures compliance with the latest waterproofing expectations.
Fire Resistance and Non-Combustible Materials
Fire safety remains a major focus of the NCC, particularly concerning external walls, roofs, and associated components. Many building classes and heights now require non-combustible materials on building exteriors, including flashings, cappings, and rainwater goods.
Metal flashings produced by PPC, including those made from COLORBOND® and ZINCALUME® steel, meet these requirements. Steel is inherently non-combustible, offering excellent fire resistance without compromising performance. Using compliant metal products ensures that roof flashings, parapet cappings, gutters, and rainheads won’t contribute to fire spread, which is especially important in bushfire-prone areas across Victoria.
Non-combustible flashings also support compliance on projects requiring higher fire ratings, including multi-storey developments and buildings located in designated bushfire zones.
Roof Drainage and Overflow Provisions
Another area where NCC 2022 introduced significant changes is roof drainage performance. Gutters, rainheads, and downpipes must be designed to cope with updated rainfall intensity data, ensuring buildings can safely manage stormwater during extreme weather.
The NCC and relevant Australian Standards outline how rainwater goods should be sized and installed, with clear requirements for overflow management. Box gutters, for example, must now be designed strictly in accordance with stormwater drainage standards, incorporating overflows that prevent water back-up and potential flooding of roof spaces.
PPC Flashings offers custom-fabricated gutters, rainheads, and sumps built to meet these updated standards. By manufacturing rainwater products to project-specific dimensions and capacities, they help ensure compliance while providing effective drainage solutions tailored to each site.
For builders and architects, this means reduced risk of compliance failures and confidence that rainwater systems will perform as intended under both normal and severe conditions.
Installation Standards and Best Practices
Compliance isn’t just about product selection – how flashings and rainwater goods are installed is equally important. The NCC references Australian Standards for the correct installation of metal roof cladding and associated flashings. These standards detail everything from lap lengths and fastener spacing to the integration of flashings with gutters, valleys, and downpipes.
Incorrect installation can lead to leaks, water ingress, and premature material failure, all of which compromise compliance. Working with PPC Flashings’ custom products, designed to suit your project’s roof profiles and junctions, simplifies installation and ensures components integrate seamlessly with the broader roof system.
It’s important to ensure that all roof plumbing work is completed by licensed professionals familiar with these standards, particularly for complex or custom roof designs.
Make Compliance Easy with PPC Flashings
As the NCC continues to evolve, keeping up with these updates is essential. With parts of the 2022 edition staged for implementation in 2024 and beyond, industry professionals can expect ongoing scrutiny around waterproofing, drainage design, and material selection. Flashings, rainwater products, and roofing components must not only meet today’s standards but be ready for the increasing emphasis on resilience and long-term building durability.
With NCC 2022 now in full effect, the pressure is on to ensure every detail of your roofing and rainwater systems meets the updated requirements. Flashings, cappings, gutters, and rainheads all play a crucial role in waterproofing, drainage, and fire safety – and getting these components wrong can lead to costly rework, inspection delays, or long-term building failures.
PPC Flashings helps take the guesswork out of compliance. Their locally manufactured products are designed for Australian conditions, custom-made to suit each project, and crafted from materials that align with NCC standards. Whether you’re after COLORBOND® apron flashings, oversized rainheads, or specialised parapet cappings, PPC offers solutions that meet performance expectations and streamline the compliance process.
For builders and architects across Victoria, partnering with a local manufacturer who understands both the technical and regulatory requirements is invaluable. You’ll save time, reduce risks, and deliver projects that meet the latest standards – all while working with a team committed to supporting your success on site.
If you’re planning your next roofing or rainwater project, speak to PPC Flashings about custom, compliant solutions that make NCC 2022 compliance simple and stress-free. By working with trusted suppliers and staying informed on NCC requirements, you protect your clients, your reputation, and your projects. Compliance is not just a box-ticking exercise – it’s about building safe, durable, and high-performing structures that meet today’s strict standards and tomorrow’s expectations.
The information contained in this news post is provided by way of general information only and has not been prepared with your specific needs in mind. Before application in a particular situation, we recommend that you obtain expert advice confirming the suitability of the services and/or products and information in question for the application proposed.