A customer was in the process of replacing the patio on his 35-year-old home. When he removed the step he discovered that the rim joist was completely rotted. This was due to lack of flashing, which is a moisture barrier between the house proper and the concrete. When there is water present it seeps behind the step and can’t escape, which causes rott. Not only does this damage the wood, but it is an open invitation for insect infestation, partiularly termites.
This seems to be a common occurance that I see in new construction. It takes very little extra time and money to do the job right, but often installers take shortcuts. When I install doors ,windows, and siding I make sure that the propper moisture barriers are installed. A little time now means a lot less grief later.
We were able to fix our customer’s problem, and we can do the same for you.
Water damage to rim joist.
New plate installed.
New rim joist.
Flashing installed.