The Importance of Proper Flashing: A Salem Siding Story

Hi, Chris Zorzy here from A&A Services. I want to share a story about a siding project we did many years ago in Salem, Massachusetts—a project that really stuck with me and highlights why proper installation matters just as much as the materials used.

A friend of mine, who’s a real estate broker, called me up one day. He was helping a client purchase a home and said, “Chris, something looks off with the siding on this house. I can’t quite put my finger on it.” So, I drove over to Salem to meet him and the prospective buyers. From a distance, the house looked great—vinyl siding, aluminum trim coverage, everything you’d expect from what most people would call a “maintenance-free” exterior.

But as I got closer, I noticed the window sills didn’t look quite right. They seemed slightly uneven—subtle, but noticeable if you know what to look for. That was my first red flag. I took a closer look, and sure enough, every single window sill on the home was rotted out. All of them. What made it tricky was that everything was wrapped in aluminum, so on the surface, it looked fine. But when I gently pressed on the trim, the material underneath crumbled to dust. It was dry rot—years and years of water damage that had been sealed in, never allowed to dry out.

Now, this failure wasn’t the fault of the vinyl siding itself. The issue was with how the siding and trim were installed—specifically, the lack of proper flashing around the windows. Flashing is what protects the structure from water intrusion. It channels water away from vulnerable areas like window frames and sills. When it’s not done correctly, water finds its way in behind the trim and sits there. Over time, that turns into rot.

This particular job was probably about 20 years old when we looked at it. And unfortunately, to fix the problem, the siding had to be stripped so we could assess the full extent of the damage underneath. We ended up getting the job and replaced all the rotted sills, properly flashed every window, and re-sided the home. Today, that house still looks great—and more importantly, it’s protected the way it should have been from the start.

At A&A Services, whenever we take on a siding project, we go out of our way to educate our clients about what’s involved—not just in terms of curb appeal, but what’s going on behind the siding. Proper flashing, moisture control, and structural integrity are what really matter for the long-term success of your investment. And that goes for any material—vinyl, wood, fiber cement, you name it.

So, the moral of the story? Don’t let a good-looking exterior fool you. What’s underneath is what truly matters. If it’s not done right the first time, you’ll be dealing with hidden damage down the line. Thankfully, this homeowner caught it just in time—and now they have peace of mind for decades to come.