11/06/2024
If you need a new roof make sure the step flashing and counter flashing process is being done properly.
🏡 There’s a very simple reason why all builders should understand building science—or, in other words, know how buildings work: because buildings, or at least parts of buildings, regularly fail.
Brian Pontolilo reached out to some regular FHB contributors and asked them not only what building science* mistakes they’ve made or often see, but how things could have been done better.
Emily Mottram's BS* Mistake to Avoid: Skipping necessary flashing details
"If we think about how a drop of water moves, we can picture the path it takes to travel into or through our buildings. To prevent damage, we need to direct the water toward drainage or a place where it can dry. Anywhere there is a change in material or plane (like a bump, jog, or extension) in a building’s exterior, consider how you can move the water around that detail to promote draining or drying in the most efficient way. For example, you need to tape the top and sides of a flanged window but should leave the bottom open to allow drainage and drying. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you tape the bottom and water gets in, it won’t be able to get out." —Emily Mottram, Mottram Architecture, Thomaston, Maine
