Kick-Out Flashing
Also called: diverter flashing, kickout
🏠 Roof & Attic — a term you may see in your inspection report.
What is kick-out flashing and why does it matter?
Kick-out flashing is a small piece of bent metal installed where a roof edge meets a vertical wall. Its entire job is to push water away from the wall and into the gutter. When it's missing — and it is missing surprisingly often — water runs down inside the wall assembly instead, and the damage doesn't show up for years, by which point it's rot behind the siding rather than a stain on it. It's a tiny, inexpensive part with a wildly disproportionate consequence.
- What it does
- Diverts roof runoff away from the wall and into the gutter
- Where it belongs
- Where a roof edge terminates against a vertical wall
- How often it's missing
- Very often — one of the more common roof findings
- Why it matters
- Damage is hidden inside the wall until it's severe
What it actually is
A short piece of metal, bent at an angle, doing one job. There is no cheaper part on a house with a bigger consequence when it's absent.
Why it matters in East Texas
With our rainfall, a missing kick-out doesn't take long to matter. I've found soft sheathing behind siding on houses whose owners had no idea anything was wrong, because from the outside the wall looked completely normal.
What I do when I find one
I check every roof-to-wall termination I can see, from the roof when it's safe to walk and by drone when it isn't. If a kick-out is missing I photograph the location and look for staining or soft material below it.
What it means for you
If it's simply missing with no damage yet, this is a cheap fix and a great catch. If there's staining or soft material below, the scope of the repair depends on what's behind the siding — which nobody can tell you without opening it up.
More roof & attic terms: Attic Ventilation · Ridge Vent · Soffit & Fascia · Roof Decking Delamination · Vapor Barrier
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