Thread: Wall flashing where siding meets a chimney

I frequently see the sheathing and or housewrap where siding butts into a chimney.


1) What is the generally recognized best practice for flashing/sealing this joint ?

2) Aside from tearing off the siding and correcting it from the beginning, what do you recommend as a solution when you see the underlying structure at this joint?

3) Anybody have any diagrams of this detail they include in their reports they care to share?

Thanks

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Robert

Do you have any pictures that get the entire view of this assembly?

Would have been a lot easier to have had inside corner trim installed before butting that siding up to it. Now its next to impossible to have a sealed joint with any hope of sustained performance.

Clean out the gap, use backer cord for large gaps and seal with good quality butyl caulk in clear colour.

I do not have a macro view of those chimneys...the pics are from different houses, two of many that I see like this.

I agree trim installed prior to the sidng would be a start in the right direction... on chimneys where the the bricks are stepped that piece of trim is a challenge to install.

Backer rod and caulk while certainly better than what the pics show is a last resort in my opinion, which requires maintenance more frequently than the majority of homeowners get around to.

Pieces of 18 inch wide flashing installed prior to the brick work, but on top of the house wrap in a stepped fashion periodically laying on top of the lapped upper portion of the siding to get the water back to the exterior of the wall is more along the lines that I would be thinking of.

Also, what's at the top of that junction?

Half the battle is having a correct kick out or other diverter flashing as required at the eaves to limit water flow down the corner:

Kick out flashings at chimney to roof junctions - Paragon Home Inspections Evanston/Chicago

Pretty much all the exterior chimneys I see are on the gable end Michael...most chimneys in the older houses I inspect are on the interior of the house.

I've been to your page on kickout flashings before...excellent article you've put together. I've actually been thinking I would provide a link to your page when I run into my next egregious case of missing kickout flashing. Would that be acceptable to you?

Originally Posted by Robert Foster

I frequently see the sheathing and or housewrap where siding butts into a chimney.


1) What is the generally recognized best practice for flashing/sealing this joint ?

2) Aside from tearing off the siding and correcting it from the beginning, what do you recommend as a solution when you see the underlying structure at this joint?

3) Anybody have any diagrams of this detail they include in their reports they care to share?

Thanks

Randy

It has been almost a month since you originally posted this and then let it go so I assume you have moved on.
For future reference I will answer your points

1) What is the generally recognized best practice for flashing/sealing this joint ?

Any best practice for this joint is past. This joint detail should have been handled at original construction. This would have been done by turning the building paper from the wall behind the brick onto the wall that has siding on it. When the siding was installed a trim board sufficient in depth is installed. this trim would have a sealant joint between it and the brick.


2) Aside from tearing off the siding and correcting it from the beginning, what do you recommend as a solution when you see the underlying structure at this joint?

Better not to recommend any details for this unless you are a contractor that has experience in this type of correction work. I do this type of work and even though cases are similar they are different in the details.

3) Anybody have any diagrams of this detail they include in their reports they care to share?

Answer to number two applies two this one as well.

Raymond suggested using backer rod and sealant at the brick to the J.This will keep wind blown moisture from penetrating the face of the joint but that is all.
On a vinyl job moisture gains access to the back side of the vinyl at all sorts of points. This is why there are drain holes at the bottom of the laps, to let it back out. This also is why it is a critical step to make sure the envelope is sealed with the WRB before any siding is applied. From the pictures it looks as if this is a side over.
As Ross suggested a corner trim could have been installed. This would have been put over the old siding and sealed onto the face of the brick. The siding J would have been applied over this metal and it. The metal would have flashed and sealed the joint.

The best way to remediate this joint is to remove the vinyl, correct the joint and replace the siding. Is this in the scope of your work to specify the right manner in which to make corrections and repairs.

Originally Posted by Robert Foster

Pretty much all the exterior chimneys I see are on the gable end Michael...most chimneys in the older houses I inspect are on the interior of the house.

Gable ends are their own can of worms as reguards uphill chimney flashings.

Originally Posted by Robert Foster

I've been to your page on kickout flashings before...excellent article you've put together. I've actually been thinking I would provide a link to your page when I run into my next egregious case of missing kickout flashing. Would that be acceptable to you?

Anyone is welcome to link to any page at my site.

Others are welcome to use of a limited amount of the specific content in original material on their own site with specific written permission, if someone asks I'm fine with granting permission to let others use specific pictures, etc., as many others here and elsewhere have been kind enough to let do the same.

If someone does so, I prefer a link with credit in the picture caption, which is what I offer by default to anyone who provides me with pictures.

What will get someone a take-down notice in a heartbeat is when an individual site lifts large amount of material, or a developer lifts any material from my site and incorporates it into "canned" websites they are selling to inspectors.

Mark,

Nice to see you posting here.

Thanks Michael
I do get in here on occasion.
For those of you that do not know me I do a lot of exterior envelope renovation and deal with all of the problems you are reporting on. I also do consulting on the building envelope involving moisture intrusion and construction defects. have four homes wort 1M each that have 1M combined damage due to moisture intrusion; mainly stone, EIFS, and brick, in that order. The defects are rampant in our area and in yours too as most of you are aware of. The next big thing is the faux stone that is so popular these days. My prediction is that it will make the EIFS look like a small drop in the bucket.
That is probably for another thread. Let me know is someone starts one and I will contribute some pictures of remediations I have been involved with.

" My prediction is that it will make the EIFS look like a small drop in the bucket."


My thoughts also.

Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

Gable ends are their own can of worms as reguards uphill chimney flashings.



Anyone is welcome to link to any page at my site.

Thank you.