Kickout flashing, an important detail often overlooked by Orillia, Gravenhiurst, Bracebridge, and Muskoa builders and roofers.

Submitted by BruceGrant on Wed, 02/13/2013 - 21:15

Kickout flashing is a very important detail often overlooked by builders and roofers.

When I inspect homes, cottages and commercial property in Orillia, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and Muskoka I often find the kickout flashing is missing. This is a very important flashing detail that protects your wall from moisture intrusion. When a roof ends before the wall it is butting against the kickout flashing is installed to prevent water in this high flow area from getting behind the wall covering and into the wall cavity. Many times I find the wall covering covered in many layers of caulk in an attempt to seal the wall against moisture entry.

Sidewall or roof flashing that abuts a wall must handle a comparatively large volume of water. This means one of the more critical flashing details occurs where the roof-wall junction ends before the wall does. To deflect water from the siding you must have a kick-out flashing

Though not always possible in the construction sequence and especially when retrofitting, it's best to install a full 36-inch-wide piece of rubberized asphalt on the wall before nailing subfascia and trim boards in place, then come back to install the kick-out. As long as some protection from moisture exists behind flashing having the flashing is better than any amount of caulk being applied in an attempt to stop water from getting behind siding.

. When I inspect homes, cottages and commercial property in Orillia, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and Muskoka I often find the kickout flashing is missing. This is a very important flashing detail that protects your wall from moisture intrusion.

The kickout flashing, or diverter, directs water into the gutter thus decreasing the odds it will make its way behind the exterior cladding. A kickout diverter is not only best-practice when flashing the eave edge to a wall, in most jurisdictions it's code. At the end of the vertical sidewall the step flashing should be turned out in a manner that directs water away from the wall and onto the roof and/or gutter.

When installing a kickout flashing under existing wall coverings you may have to pry carefully at the siding and work the flashing under both the shingle and the siding at the same time. This vinyl siding has been slit to allow flashing to slide in behind.