Over the years I have seen excessive interior and exterior problems due to improperly installed and/or missing flashings. When a roofing system is properly installed, no roof water will drain onto any siding materials. Due to ongoing issues associated with buried, missing and/or improperly installed flashings, I have dedicated a page for the education of flashings. Flashings are building materials that are installed around doors, windows, siding penetrations/connections, roof penetrations, roof intersections and roof to siding connections. Flashings are generally made of metal but plastic, adhesive/peel and stick and paper/fiber woven flashings are common at doors and windows. Flashings are designed to prevent water from penetrating inner building components. Improperly installed and/or missing flashings are the most common causes for leakage, damage and/or deterioration. The building codes require these flashings but are very vague on how these flashings should be installed.  It is important to understand how water migrates off of the roof, off of the siding and also through stucco systems. The following pictures should help to identify some of these flashings.

Kick out flashings.

No kick out flashings.

Step flashings, counter flashings and kick-out flashings.