Help - Sheathing rotted due to incorrect flashing

Durt Ferguson

We purchased our first home last summer. It is a split-level. There is a deck that comes off the back. It is not properly flashed. Below the deck on the back of the house, there are two windows.

This summer when I was mowing the lawn, I noticed that the brick molding on one of the windows was rotting. I decided to replace it with PVC molding. When I removed the molding from the window, I discovered that the sheathing is horribly rotted. It has to be replaced.

I don't even know where to start. The house has aluminum siding, I don't know how to get it off. If I can get it off, I know the rotted sheathing needs to come out and the flashing needs to be addressed. My initial thought was to convert the deck to a free-standing deck, to eliminate future issues. What do I need to look for once I take the siding off, as far as barriers, wrap, etc is concerned? I'm pretty handy, I just have never ventured into something like this before. Am I over my head doing this myself? I don't even want to know what it would cost to get this done by a pro

oh'mike

That's a labor intensive job so having it done will be expensive---However, If you could show us what you have we can walk you through the steps and you can decide if you are up to the task.

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Durt Ferguson

I will try to get some pictures after work tomorrow. I just was a little crazy because I don't know what I'm doing and I'm worried I'm going to be looking at thousands upon thousands of dollars of work were I to hire it out. I will definitely try to assess the situation as best as possible and decide from there. Thanks!

oh'mike

Get pictures of the deck attachment area.

Tom Struble --Kwickfishron and several others are great with the siding removal and flashing details.

Fortunately the materials for this type of work aren't that much money---Mostly it's the time involved.

If you have a good bit of common sense and a healthy body --and the time---we can walk you through this----Mike---

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Durt Ferguson

Is what I've read true, that with aluminum siding you have to remove from the top down, and cannot remove a section in the middle?

kwikfishron

Aluminum siding is not forgiving. If you want to remove and replace the same siding “damage free” then start from the top. As Mike said post some pictures. Be sure to post one standing back showing the entire area.

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Durt Ferguson

I will get the pictures when I get home, by the time I made this post it was dark out, and it was dark and about 35 degrees this morning when I left for work. It looks like the sheathing is some black fiberboard (well, it may not have always been black)

Tom Struble

you can remove it at any point if you have replacement panels