Exterior Renovation Services
Flashing is thin metal or membrane material installed at intersections, transitions, and penetrations in the building envelope. Its purpose is to direct water that infiltrates past the outer surface back outward — before it can reach the building interior.
Failure to install adequate flashing, or installation of improperly overlapped flashing, is a leading cause of water damage in renovated homes. The damage often doesn't appear for years — by which time significant hidden deterioration has occurred.
Planning Your Project
Head flashing at window and door tops deflects water that runs down the wall past the window. Without head flashing, water collects at the top of the window rough opening and infiltrates the wall assembly.
Step and counter flashing at roof-to-wall intersections — where a sloped roof meets a vertical wall — creates a stepped waterproof transition. Each course of step flashing overlaps the one below, creating a series of drainage stages.
Working With D&D Exterior Finishing
Valley flashing at roof valleys channels concentrated water flow down the valley and onto the drainage slope. Exposed metal flashing or woven shingles both require proper installation to shed the high water volumes these areas receive.
Penetration flashing — around pipes, conduit, chimneys, and mechanical vents — is critical at every opening through the building envelope. Each penetration must be independently flashed and sealed.
When exterior renovation work exposes existing flashing, inspect it carefully before covering it with new materials. Deteriorated or improperly installed flashing should be replaced during renovation — doing so after new cladding is installed requires major additional work.