Not many people are familiar with kick-out flashings, what their purpose is, and why they are important. So in this post I would like to bring attention to this important component.
What is a Kick-Out Flashing?
Kick-out flashings are flashings that divert water runoff from the roof away from the wall and/or into the gutter. This prevents water from getting behind the siding and into the wall cavity. Truth be told, I very seldom see them installed. Sometimes, builders will install a diverter behind the siding to protect the area in lieu of installing a kick-out. The picture below better illustrates what I am trying to say…
Where are Kick-Out Flashings Required?
- Anywhere the roof intersects an exterior wall where the wall extends past the lower roof edge and gutter. If a kick-out flashing is missing in this area large amounts of water may miss the gutter and get behind the siding. If an effective water resistive barrier is absent or damaged, large amounts of water can become trapped in the wall cavity.
- Where the gutters terminate at chimney walls.
I recently was able to open up a wall that lacked a kick-out flashing. In the image below you can see extensive damage. This happened to be directly above an exterior door as well, which created the need to replace the door. Many times, these conditions either have a door or window beneath them which can make the repair much more expensive.
On another home a few years back, I found this defect by doing an interior thermal imaging scan. On this home the insulation became saturated and compressed.
So, if you have this condition on your home, it may be wise to have kick-out flashings installed. It is a must if you see moisture staining down the wall in my opinion.
As always, I hope you took some value from this post and if you have any home related questions, please let me know at the email address below.
-AZ
Aaron M. Zuehlke is the owner and inspector at Zuehlke Inspection Service, LLC, a full-service home inspection company serving Southern Wisconsin. Specializing in Home inspection, Radon Testing, Mold Testing/inspection, Residential Thermal Imaging, and Manufactured Home Foundation Certifications. He also manages several rental properties through Zuehlke Properties, LLC. He can be reached by email at Aaron@Zuehlkeinspections.com or by calling the office at 608-931-7485.