Flashing for cabinet over service panel?

[4nthony]

Last year, I had my service panel upgraded to 200A in preparation for a Hammer A3-31. Since then, I've procrastinated on getting it patched up and reinstalling the shingles. I'm looking for some advice on order of operation to seal this up.

To protect (sort of?) the panel from rusting due to salty air, I built a simple cabinet out of OSB. There is also a door with a meter window. I'll sand it a bit and give it a few coats of exterior paint. I'm also on the hunt for a small piece of Tyvek or other house wrap. I'd rather not have to buy an entire roll.

In my head, the order i see this happening in is:

- Install the cabinet on the wall
- Install L-shaped rain flashing/drip edge on top of the cabinet
- Install the house wrap on the framing, tucking and taping it behind the old wrap and at the seams of the cabinet (I'm aware of overlapping the wrap from the bottom up to keep moisture from getting behind the wrap).
- Reinstall the cedar shingles

I'm not sure if I would do the house wrap around the panel first, add the cabinet, then do additional wrap around the cabinet seams.

How would you do it?

Thank you!
Anthony

 

[rvieceli]

[member=75283]4nthony[/member] I’m in the “it’s a meter base it should look like a meter base” camp. However you should probably start at your power company to see what is permitted.

You could continue with the stick on Vicor style flashing.

Ron

 

[Packard]

If this is in the back of the house, then I would build an awning and add shingles to the awning.  Flash the awning to the wall above the box.  That will protect electrical panel and the other boxes visible in the image.

If you design an attractive awning, then the side of the house would be fine.

This design looks simple:

 

[Peter Kelly]

Mount the wood cover you'd made then use tape to flash the assembly, not house wrap.https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-3M-All-Weather-Flashing-Tape-Tan-4-in-x-75-Ft/5005481243

 

[jeh]

Cover it up. Meter boxes are like zits.

 

[4nthony]

Mount the wood cover you'd made then use tape to flash the assembly, not house wrap.https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-3M-All-Weather-Flashing-Tape-Tan-4-in-x-75-Ft/5005481243

Sounds easy enough, but what about the areas where the old paper is brittle and breaking off or doesn't exist? Just tape it up the best I can and call it a day?

 

[tjbnwi]

You have to/must replace the paper that is missing and damaged. Cedar shingles are not as water resistant as most think.

On the top you need to have a metal flashing bent up for it.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

I'd take a 2-prong approach: for the missing paper, I'd remove an upper layer of cedar shakes to weave in new Tyvek. The uppermost Tyvek layer should be on the outside while all other layers should be underneath the layer above.

Secondly, I'd bend up some flashing that would divert the rain running down the siding from hitting the utility box. Again, the Tyvek should be on top of the aluminum flashing to ensure a continuous rain path that will not penetrate and get behind the electrical enclosure.

Something like this...just a simple diverter to direct the rain running down the siding away from the electrical box.

[attachimg=1]

 

[4nthony]

You have to/must replace the paper that is missing and damaged. Cedar shingles are not as water resistant as most think.

On the top you need to have a metal flashing bent up for it.

Tom

I picked up some 10" aluminum roll and made a practice piece of flashing for the top of the cabinet. Since it might be difficult to get home wrap tucked up behind the existing underlayment (?) at the top, I was thinking it might be easier to use some of the leftover aluminum for this section.

I'd take a 2-prong approach: for the missing paper, I'd remove an upper layer of cedar shakes to weave in new Tyvek. The uppermost Tyvek layer should be on the outside while all other layers should be underneath the layer above.

I'm a little nervous about removing more shingles but I think that will be a good way to give myself a bit more "wall" to work n. Earlier today, I removed the shingles behind the green squares. There's a nailer strip at the arrow. I'll try to remove the shingles behind the red rectangle. If they come out clean, hopefully the existing paper is in good shape and and I can merge some new paper.

I watched a video for patching holes where make small 45° cuts to slide new paper behind the paper above it. Hopefully I can do something similar.

 

[Cheese]

Don't forget to tape all the seams...use a polyester based film tape or aluminum based HVAC duct tape. Cloth based duct tape will dissolve within a few years and the only thing left will be the adhesive. House wrap manufacturers offer tape specifically to be used on their product.

[attachimg=1]

 

[squall_line]

For a source for smaller bits of house wrap, look for a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or even a Tool Library near you.  We have a ReStore here, and I always forget to look for the short, scrappy bits of thing that I might need to work on a small project until after the project is done.  Great example is partial rolls of THHN wire, stubby bits of conduit, etc.

 

[4nthony]

Don't forget to tape all the seams...use a polyester based film tape or aluminum based HVAC duct tape. Cloth based duct tape will dissolve within a few years and the only thing left will be the adhesive. House wrap manufacturers offer tape specifically to be used on their product.

In the video, they tape the bottom first, followed by the sides, then the top. Compared to the price of Tyvek, the Tyvek tape is cheap.

For a source for smaller bits of house wrap, look for a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or even a Tool Library near you.  We have a ReStore here, and I always forget to look for the short, scrappy bits of thing that I might need to work on a small project until after the project is done.  Great example is partial rolls of THHN wire, stubby bits of conduit, etc.

I hadn't thought about ReStore but that's a great idea for future projects. I'll have to see where they are in my area. Thanks!

 

[Ron B]

In the video, they tape the bottom first, followed by the sides, then the top. Compared to the price of Tyvek, the Tyvek tape is cheap.

It is like putting shingles on a roof.  You don't waterproof-you shed the water away.  And remember that water will wick upwards so shoot for three layers.  That way when the first two fail, you still are ok.  Using that approach kept my skylights from leaking. 

There is a window tape that is pure rubber and sticky on one side and is great. I am not talking about the granular stuff-this is black rubber.  I believe it is made by Grace.  It is a smaller version of their Water and Ice Guard rolls, just smaller.  IMO their product is far superior to the other ice guards-just be careful installing that you do not let sticky side touch sticky side-it will not release. 

 

[tjbnwi]

This is the flashing taste you want to use. None better on the market. Just don’t let the adhesive contact itself.
https://www.amazon.com/3M-Weather-F...-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

Tom

 

[rst]

Grace and Zip make the sticky, stretchy applied membranes for window and door openings.  The material is not rubber but high density polyethylene sheet.  It's great stuff as it's weather and sun proof for at least a year.  I'm using a left over roll to patch my Shelterlogic tarp covered enclosure until I order a new cover.