Vinyl Siding Leak, No Flashing

Hello,

My house was built by the Amish a couple years ago, and it seems that they left out several techniques. I found that out today after seeing water on my band and seal plates around the house perimeter; they are starting to rot.

The leaks are especially bad on the outside corners. The builders did not use housewrap, the siding is nailed directly on 7/16 OSB. I also realized they did not flash under or around the windows or doors. There is only J channel and siding. There is also no z-channel at the base of the starter strip, and the starter strip is located at the level of the sill plate rather than a couple inches below.

I'm wondering what I can do other than removing all of the siding and starting over. Do you think I could remove the vinyl siding from around all windows and doors and apply the a self sticking flashing around them? Also, remove and bottom layer of siding and tack in a z-channel? As far as the corners, maybe peel back the vinyl enough to apply a self stick flashing vertically on both sides of the corners? I'm planning on buying the undersill trim to replace the bottom J channel with.

I'd really appreciate any input.

Thanks.

 

IMO, you should remove it all and start over, using housewrap. Vinyl siding allows water to get behind it in several locations- mainly where large quantities of water run down inside vertical j-channels and corner posts. (water can run off the inside j of a corner post or vertical j-channel and onto the siding at any point, but especially at the bottom left and right corners of windows) Your leaks are all likely occuring farther up on the home, but they arent showing up until they get lower.

You'll be able to reuse 75% of your current siding, so you should only have to order a few more boxes of siding in order to make it work.

Adding membranes to the corners would kind of be like putting a bandaid on it. As for the windows, flashing would certainly help seal the windows, but it won't help the sheathing that is below the windows. If the house is 2 story, the problem is compounded since water from 2nd story windows will run down the sheathing onto the 1st story windows.

Bottom line is that your house should have some type of building paper on it. This practice was *somehow* allowed by the people who made up the 2003 IRC but was amended in the 2006 IRC. Nice they finally came to their senses.

 

http://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/sho...&file=3702&s=0

Just the basic details, with all house wrap left off of the display model. The rag on the right was still dry, and so was the wood behind the siding.

 

Nice slideshow, Frank! A good demonstration of why housewrap is needed, and how water that gets behind the siding can be directed back out.

 

I finally got someone on the way. They'll remove the siding and put 1/2 inch foam up along with flashing.

Thanks for the input and pics.