Vinyl siding installation guide

[John Nosworthy]

Cheremie,
In your experience with new construction vinyl, do you hold the siding up off the roof shingles, say along the sides of the dormers, by any set distance? How much height of continuous step flashing should I be able to see with my binoculars?

[ckratzer]

John,
I like to nail my "J" (also called receiving channel) 1 -1 1/2" off of the roof.
In areas that I feel will hold more snow for long periods of time I will also run a 16" w. piece of 15# felt over the step flashing (but high enough to be out of sight)and then install the fan fold then the "J" channel.
The felt is not a required installation method .I just think it ads some extra protection,especially when melting snow refreezes and expands.

Hope I've answered your question and then some.

[John Nosworthy]

Cheremie
I judge that to be the only correct answer. Glad to hear it. And if I'm not mistaken you about talking about a 1 1/2" exposure on a 2" turned up leg?
Right? Standard prebent alum. step flashing?

All the time I see new construction where the step flashing going up the long rake walls on big box houses is not visible at all. The sider has nailed his J channel after laying it flat on the roofer's shingles. I call it out every time.

So often here you see house wraps on all but the attic gable ends. If the vinyl mfg. says his product relies on the usage of a water barrier beneath his siding, and none is present on these surfaces, it would void any mfg. warranty, i presume.
What's your experience?

[ckratzer]

John ,
In instances where I go up to 1 1/2" I cut my own flashing "shingles" to go up the wall 3".In addition to that , when I black in my roof I continue the felt up the wall about 12" being careful not to poke a hole in the crease where roof and wall converge.I never buy the pre bent flashing.The guage is too thin to suit me.I buy the galvanized type in a 50 ct. bundle.It just feels more substantial.
I try to do everything I think to be right to avoid unnecessary call backs.
As always ,time will tell if it isn't right but I've never had a problem with this method...knock on wood.
Ya know, all the installer has to do is take a 1X spacer and lay it on the roof,set the "J" on top,nail the "J" and remove the spacer.No extra time involved.There's no excuse for not doing it unless the installer simply didn't know.You might expect that from a diy'er.
If the manufacturer say's barrier then it should be done to keep the warranty
rights.