Deck Flashing: Protecting Your Property From Water Damage

9/7/2021 (Permalink)

Contact the professionals at SERVPRO when you have water damage in your home or business!

The proper installation of deck flashing will ensure the property is safe from interior water damage.

When installing a deck, you will want to ensure that the deck builders install the proper deck flashing to avoid wood rot and interior water damage. Unfortunately, the professionals at SERVPRO of North Fulton have received their fair share of water damage calls from deck flashing being improperly installed.

The installation of a new deck should be only done by professionals who have experience installing any type and size deck. In addition, true deck-building professionals understand the importance of deck flashing and how it protects water from entering a home. 

The following blog post is ideal for anyone who does not know the cause of their basement water damage or someone thinking about installing a deck without professional knowledge. Keep reading on to learn more about the importance of a properly installed deck flashing and the repercussions from a deck that was not professionally installed.

Causes deck flashing water damage

New decks built in the summer months may not show signs of water damage because of the lack of rainfall in the warmer months. A property will be more susceptible to the water damage caused by improperly installed deck flashing during months with heavy rainfall or in the winter when it snows. Water will get into the wood and siding whenever there is excess water on a deck that is not flashed properly. When the water is trapped and not able to escape, three things will occur:

1. Wood rot
2. Siding mold
3. Interior water damage

A recent water damage service call

April of this year was a wet month in Atlanta. With all the rainstorms that passed, the professionals at SERVPRO of North Fulton received many water damage calls. However, out of all the service calls we received, one call differed from the rest.

The call was from a homeowner who needed basement flood mitigation services after finding water damage on the ceiling and walls of their basement. When we arrived, we pulled out our moisture meters, inspected the walls and ceilings, and were surprised to see that water intrusion occurred the entire length of the basement wall.

We then went outside and started to inspect the siding and roof of the home. Everything was intact, and there wasn't siding or roof damage. We then started to inspect the home's deck and quickly found out that the deck flashing was not properly installed.

We asked the homeowner how old the deck was and who had installed it. The homeowner let us know that it had been installed about a month ago by themselves. We didn't make any further comments to the homeowner, but we have seen this situation happen many times; a homeowner decides to save money by doing a home improvement project on their own only to have to pay more in the long run.

After locating the cause of the loss, we began drying out the property's basement and performed the proper deck repairs so that no further water damages occurred.

Wrapping up

We hope you enjoyed learning about the importance of deck flashing and how it is a crucial component in constructing any deck. In short, deck flashing water damage can be caused by improper installation. Still, when installed correctly, it will shield against moisture intrusion from excessive precipitation or high humidity levels in the air.

Please contact us today if your property has recently been damaged by water. Our IICRC certified professionals are available 24/7, 365 days a year, and use advanced moisture mapping techniques to determine the cause of the water damage and the number of damages to the structure.