Kick-out flashing (also called diverter flashing) goes at the spot where a sloped roof edge dead-ends into a vertical wall — think of a garage roof running into a two-story wall, or the lower corner of a dormer. The last piece of step flashing is swapped for a flared piece that "kicks" the water sideways into the gutter instead of letting it pour down the face of the wall.
Why it's a big deal in Douglas County
That one corner concentrates an enormous amount of water. A modest roof plane sheds thousands of gallons a year in our 30–33 inches of rain, and much of it exits right at that wall. It matters enough that the Douglas County building department requires kick-out flashing at sidewall terminations — it's one of the details checked on reroof permits here. Plenty of older homes around Roseburg and Riddle were built without one.
When it fails, what it costs you
A missing kick-out doesn't leak into the house right away — it leaks into the wall. Water sneaks behind the siding at that corner and quietly rots sheathing and framing for years, hidden behind paint that still looks fine. We've opened up walls where a part that costs less than lunch would have prevented thousands of dollars in siding and framing repair. If your home has a roof-to-wall corner with a permanent gray-green streak below it, that's the warning sign — worth a repair visit before the wet season.
Is kick-out flashing required in Douglas County?
Yes. The county requires kick-out flashing where a roof edge terminates at a sidewall, and it's part of what gets looked at when a reroof is permitted and inspected. Retrofitting one onto an existing roof is a small, inexpensive job.
Related terms
Step flashing · Counter-flashing · Cricket · Dormer · Gutter apron