Preventing Rot: What is Flashing and Why is it Critical?

Flashing is impervious material used as a drip edge to prevent water from entering a structure.  Proper flashing is crucial because when applied correctly, it prevents water from entering your home at all possible seams such as windows, band boards and the roof structure.  Water intrusion can cause a host of problems, from wood rot and mold to structure failure.

A classic example of the critical need for flashing is during the building of a deck connected to your home.  If the break in siding where the deck structure meets the home is not properly flashed, water will be allowed to flow down the wall of the house.  The ledger board, or the board bolted to your home, will then take on this water.  At that point, the water can make its way into your home through the fastening points of the ledger board.  On the inside of your home, this can cause mold to form on framing lumber that is not treated for outdoor exposure causing it to become soft or rot. On the outside, if this happens where the band board of your deck is connected, it could cause your whole deck to fail.  One can only imagine how the chances of that increase in this situation if there are people on your deck adding to the weight of the structure. 
Be sure to ask your contractor what kind of flashing they plan to use when installing a new deck structure. Heartlands installs ice and water flashing underneath the ledger board and at the bottom to ensure a water tight connection.

It’s amazing how a detail so small can turn into such a large problem with catastrophic results if not dealt with properly. When we build projects, we see so many instances of rot, especially the band boards underneath doors. It’s unfortunate because the preventative measures are so simple. This is a photo from a project we are working on right now. You can see how the absence of flashing has allowed water to rot the wood beneath the door. That will all need to be replaced.
You can see detailed instructions on how to apply flashing at this link:  https://www.decks.com/Deckbuilding/Flashing_the_Ledger_Board

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