Rot under vinyl siding
Hello
I have an unfinished closet in the rear corner of my recently purchased home. I noticed that under heavy rain and wind the concrete floor gets wet. This part of the house is built on a slab that sits about 6” above ground level. I also noticed that in the plywood (there is no drywall or insulation so I have a clear view) there is a nail (for the vinyl siding I presume) that has a lot of dry rot around it. Under heavy rain and wind, this wood will feel wet to the touch.
I presume I have an issue where water is getting behind the siding and into the plywood, possibly riding that nail into the wood. I am also presuming the leak isn’t around the rot and could be anywhere above or beside it. (water can travel via the J channel in the siding) The rot is about 3 or 4 feet high.
I know vinyl siding isn’t “weather tight” and there is supposed to be some “house wrap” beneath it. The house was built in the 50’s and the siding was installed in 2008. So the siding isn’t original to the house. I don’t believe there is any additional shingles under the siding as a second floor was added as an addition at the time the house was sided. So I would think any old shingles or siding would have been removed so there would be a level working surface. I also noticed one of the 2x4s appears to have a bit of dry rot and I expect this has been happening for some time. (it is right next to the rotted nail hole)
My questions are:
What exactly is the “proper” fix? Not a band-aid, but a proper fix. I am thinking I need to remove the siding, replace the plywood, 2x4 and then reinstall the siding. That much I know. How about the “house wrap”? I believe there is something there now as I can see the silver lining through the spaces between the plywood sheets. However I want to make sure not so much as a darn drop of water ever meets wood ever again. So should I tar paper, reapply (foam wrap), then reinstall siding and silicone nail holes? What would be the proper procedure?
Also, is it possible to remove the siding without damaging it? I know there is a removal tool to undo the J-channel, but I don’t see an easy way to get it under the first section of siding. Am I going to have to break a piece to get started?
I’m an IT guy who works on servers/computers for a living, but I’m smart, handy and have lots of tools. I plan on doing this myself so I can insure the quality of the work. I will spare no expense in building materials, so don’t feel like you need to recommend low cost solutions unless the price is really out of the ball park.
Thanks
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