So there is a small hole in your siding.....

[kernal]

Backstory,
When we purchased this house I failed to see water damage at the end of a gutter, it was covered with a piece of duct tape. I pulled the tape off a year ago or so and found a small hole, not being able to do the repair at that time, I filled with some foam, and put the repair on the list. I replaced the windows in the house a month ago, and found more water damage / dampness around the window in the picture and kicked myself for not taking care of this last year. A trip to the lumber yard for replacement siding and waiting for a day without rain, and some motivation and I was ready. Saturday was the day..

Forgot to take a before pic, but this is what I found after removing a couple of siding boards, yuck....


The insulation in those two sections was crumbled and full of decayed wood. I ran a shop vac hose down the wall and sucked everything out, and replaced the insulation.

Removed more of the siding, and found the boards under the siding, tongue and groove white pine needed to be replaced as well, removed all the damaged boards and had to do some repair to the window header.


Replaced with new pine boards.


put new tar paper on, I'm planning to replace all the siding in the next couple of years, but wanted to be sure this issue did not return.


I also replaced some step flashing and installed a diverter, put ice and water on the wall, really went overkill on this.


Finished except for a coat of paint..


Here is an example of the destruction carpenter ants can do... I should not have put this project off.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Sorry to say this but it looks more like termite damage to me.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Nope, that's what carpenter ants do too.

I don't know of any home repair job, especially the old post and beam ones, where the job doesn't take at least twice as long and cost twice as much as you estimate.

 

[thomastractorsvc]

You need to move that upper down spout it is dumping into a small gutter trough and will put water back where you fixed it, that problem is from the gutters then because it was moist the insects, any mold in that wall?

 

[kernal]

Got lucky, no mold I really thought when I got to the point I took that first pic, I'd be pulling the interior off as well.
Gutters are on the list, only 1/2 of the upper roof dumps into that gutter, other 1/2 of the side goes to the back. The biggest issue is the previous owners did not do much up keep, and the gutter endcap was not sealed, and the gutter downspouts were plugged. I'm diligent about keeping them cleaned out.

 

[MH8675309]

Be glad it wasn't OSB or you'd really be spending some doe

 

[davedj1]

What you have done to repair the issue is "ok" but it's a big no, no to have the clapboards right down on the shingles. The ends will suck the water up like a wick. The kickout flashing you put in at the bottom is a step in the right direction but I would take the advice above and move the upper downspout so you don't have the same issue again in the near future.
dave

 

[srs]

Gutters are on the list

Maybe get the oversized gutters too! Not much more expensive either.

 

[GLyford]

I wonder if adding an elbow on the end of the downspout so that the water flows out into the gutter further along rather than splashing straight down right at the wall might help reduce future damage. Have you had a chance to watch what it actually does in a heavy downpour?

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Looks like you did a good job. I hate it when a little job turns into a big job. Sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to stop!

I can't see in the pictures if it's there, but where siding meets a roof there should be step flashing under every shingle. It's probably not worth retrofitting but where you're replacing siding you should add it.

The pictures don't show where the downspout starts, but if possible I would just run it down the corner of the house, having it run into the gutter is just asking for trouble.