How step flashing works
Each step piece sits under the siding (or counter flash) and over the shingle course below — water sheds outward course by course.
When siding is installed first without leaving room for steps, crews often rely on caulk that cracks in winter.
Failure signs
- Stains on drywall inside the wall below a lower roof
- Soft sheathing behind sidewall siding
- Visible caulk "fillets" where metal should weave
- Missing kick-out at the bottom of the run
Best time to fix
Roof replacement lets us install proper steps from the deck up. Siding replacement lets us integrate counter flash and kick-out.
Doing both trades in sequence on the same elevation is ideal when both are due.