We have a 7 year old home and recently decided to remove the cedar siding from our dormers and gables to replace with LP Smartside. When I began removing the cedar siding we found that the original builder did not flash windows or put any type of sill pan under the windows. The windows are Marvin Integrity with built in flange. The builder just ran the house wrap up on top of the flange and taped down, the housewrap appears to have been installed after the windows. I thought about removing the windows but all windows have sindow sills on the inside of the home added as well as crown under them which would have to be removed as well as all the trim and corner pieces. My question is, can I use a high quality window flashing tape and flash the bottom edge of window by taping the flange and new housewrap being put on, then the sides, then the top? This seems like it would seal the window completely with the house wrap but I am not sure. The good thing is there has been no water infiltration yet even with no flashing so the Marvin flanges must help quite a bit. Removing 15+ windows is really not an option as it will destroy the trim work inside the house so hoping there is a viable option to flashing an existing window. Thanks in advance.
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Marvin's suggested install is to have the wrap over the flange on top and under the flange on sides and bottom. Tape on top and sides (none on bottom). A "flash pan" is recommended for the bottom. http://www.integritywindows.com/download.aspx?DocumentID=787
I'm not quite sure what sort of "flashing" you expected. Old-fashioned metal flashing is not used on flanged windows. Some people prefer using "peel-and-stick" membrane around the opening, but it really provides little additional protection vs simply taping the housewrap to the flange. And when the joint is taped it really doesn't make that much difference whether the wrap or flange is on the outside, especially along the sides.
Any sign water is getting in?
in his post
The good thing is there has been no water infiltration yet even with no flashing so the Marvin flanges must help quite a bit.