“Kick-Out Flashing” Decoded

Dear Expert: What is “kick-out flashing” and why is it important?

A: When properly installed, this simple protection will help protect your house from extensive damage due to water infiltration. It also helps aesthetically, as it prevents unsightly stains on the wall cladding from roof drainage.

Kick-out flashing is typically made from a bit of sheet metal.

The flashing is bent away or “kicked out” from the wall to force the water away from the house before it gets to the edge of the roof. The idea is to push rainwater out to the point where it drips harmlessly off the roof edge or into the gutters. If this doesn’t occur, water will run along the siding down to the point where the adjoining roof ends and can potentially get behind the siding into the wall assembly. If this happens it’s not unusual to find homes less than ten years old with serious moisture and rot problems.

Kick-out flashing is one of the easiest ways to spot a home that was constructed with an eye for simple details that make a big difference in the performance of a home.

Above: Kick-out flashing installations

—NOR-SON, INC.
Chris Roeder, Project Manager
Jim Larson, Building Science Expert
Renee Johnson, Manager of Home Project Development