Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Jun 01, 2002 01:44am | #1

   We normally use a cap flashing over windows but the vertical leg of it is fit up under the siding so that, like with roof flashings, water runs downhill and no laps ever face uphill.

   It sounds like somebody just threw yours at the building instead of installing it correctly along with the siding. You need to reinstall it or throw it away and cheat by using caulk. Since there is already rot, I giuess it's time to call someone to repair your siding and install the flashing right.

   Find out who did it first time so you don't get him back and then send him a bill.

   Excellence is its own reward!
1. 
   darrel | Jun 01, 2002 01:58am | #2

   Hey Piffin.

   We have stucco siding, so it really has nothing to do with the siding. My guess is that it was done by the people that put in the replacement windows and they probably just do it with all houses. It was just nailed up, little-to-no caulk. They DID overlap, but everything else was so shabbily done it was of little use.

   So, it this normally done as an aesthetic thing? I don't see hat's wrong with just using nicely painted wood.

   BTW, I'd post a picture, but I have no idea how to do it with this POS message board...

1. 
   Piffin | Jun 01, 2002 05:13am | #3

   I guess I can't see it from here. Regardless of the fact that it is stucco siding, the flashing goes behind it.Excellence is its own reward!

2. 
   AndyW22 | Jun 01, 2002 06:36am | #4

   Darrell:

   pretty common around here, in fact it could have been rotted when they covered it with aluminium. "Don't worry lady, I fix good". New windows, no more rotten wood, happy customer.  Oh yeah, the nicely painted wood looks great only if someone is up there nicely painting it every 3 years.

   jmho

   Andy

2. 
   cwpp1 | Jun 01, 2002 02:37pm | #5

   Darrel510:

   Your siding maybe foam board with a plaster finish instead of stucco. There have been many many lawsuits over this product. It has been found that faulty installation is it's biggest problem. The flashing over the wood trim is a dead-give-a-way for a cover-up. That is except for over the top of your window.. The problem with any opening in a wall is that if it is not properly protected with flashing backer rod, (for stucco),and caulk it can leak. Piffin is right you may have a recourse if the original product was improperly installed and then covered to hide the damage.

   Charlie

1. 
   darrel | Jun 01, 2002 05:46pm | #6

   House was built in '29. Pure stucco not the fake stuff. :)

   To be fair, though, there isn't any 'true' flashing on the windows. The aluminum just covered the outside and met the stucco, and then was caulked.

   I'm removing all of the aluminum, relacing the brick moulding, repainting the window sill, and then caulking the top and sides where they meet the stucco.

   Again, if I could figure out how to post a photo, I would ;o)

1. 
   darrel | Jun 01, 2002 06:21pm | #7

   Ok...I figured out how to add a photo. You have to click the advanced view button. How un-intuitive is that?

   Anyways, here's a photo, for the curious...

   Wait...I *think* I just uploaded the file, but there's no way to tell. Ugh. Well, here goes nothing...

1. 
   darrel | Jun 01, 2002 07:22pm | #8

   Here's what it looks like without the aluminum (note that there isn't much rot showing in this particular photo)

2. 
   darrel | Jun 01, 2002 07:28pm | #9

   I stand corrected.

   There is proper flashing on these windows. How dare I question the craftsman that came before me ;o)

   So, what apparently happened is that the flashing is doing it's job by directing water out. The caulk that was put there has long failed and the water was then going under the aluminum cladding and sitting there, rotting out the top brick moulding.

   The problem, though, is that the top brick moulding + flashing was installed prior to the stucco, as the flashing is nailed directly to the brick moulding. In taking out the brick moulding, I'm putting nail holes in the flashing.

   So, I'm thinking of just putting in another strip of flashing on the top brick moulding so that it will go tuck up and under the existing flashing when I put it in. Any flaws in my logic there?

   With that done, should I then caulk the top of the window, or should it remain open so water exits via the flashing? All of the windows are currently caulked on all four sided, but I'm now wondering if that was another odd 'fix' that was done when the windows were replaced (for the record, these are vinyl insert windows...the actuall windows frames weren't replaced.

   Here's a photo of the flashing...