What’s Warping That Siding?

What’s Warping That Siding?

As a home inspector in New Jersey you will see a great number of homes cladded with vinyl siding. Sometimes you will see a square of patch of cladding that looks like partially melted siding on the side of a house. It is easy to figure out the cause if the patch of siding is over a gas barbecue, near a direct vent for a fireplace, or other fixed heat source. It is a problem when there is with no apparent reason causing the distortion.

To get to the bottom of it you will need to visit that house at the perfect time. That time would be when the sun is out and reflecting off the high tech, low emissivity glass that is installed in the windows of the home at a perfect angle to hit that siding. That glass is low emissivity because it reflects about a third of the solar energy striking  the window, reducing solar energy entering the home. The widow is reflecting quite a bit of energy. It not only reflects the solar energy but focuses it much the same way a lens focuses light energy, the window also being a lens. This reflected, focused energy projects onto the siding nearby, and as a result, the vinyl cladding starts to absorb the energy and heats up, approaching its melting point and changing its shape. Sometimes the reflected energy can even come from a neighbor’s window to cause this melting, if close enough.

There is no easy fix for this either, unless you are willing to take the expense of siding the house with a more heat resistant material, or get rid of your nice, energy efficient windows. Both poor and expensive options. And there is no vinyl siding available right now that is resistant to the level of heat that can be generated. The most common way to deal with the situation is to block the radiation in some way. You can do this with a decorative screen or the use most common method; plant a tree (an evergreen) in the path of the radiated heat.  The designer of the home, or architect, should take this phenomena into consideration when planning the position and orientation of the windows and walls of the home to avoid the issue. -Submitted by John Bittner 3/19/19.

Weather Proofing and Weather Resistance for Homes, a Home Inspection Perspective

The primary functions of a home include providing a safe, habitable, functional living space that meets the living requirements of the occupants. To do this the home must remain functional in its environment during its economic life. Its components have to be able to survive the environment and control the effects on the occupants. Generally, this means what is considered weatherproofing the structure. Houses are first and foremost shelter. Their design must incorporate this concept from the inception. A house, no matter how beautiful and well sited, is of little use if it does not protect the occupants from weather events. Materials and products used in the structure are therefore designed to be resistant to weather, particularly rain, wind, and solar energy and to condition the space against extremes of heat and cold. But if the house is to last it must also be resistant to weathering, or the effects of weather on the structure. Failure to consider and incorporate effective design and materials in the construction of the home to be weatherproof and resist weathering results in the failure to satisfy the primary function of the home.

In New Jersey, home inspectors are required to make a visual inspection of various components of a home. The items that have to be inspected are regulated. A description of the component, defects in the component, ramifications of the defect, and recommendations to the buyer are required to be included in a written report. Inspectors are directed to include material defects in the report, but can also include non-material defects at their discretion. Material defects are defects that effect the value, safety, or habitability of the home. We will examine common defects in components including the roof, exterior cladding, windows, trim, and doors that present the first line of defense against weather and the existing conditions of these components that often indicate their ability meet their performance.

Over the course of several articles we will consider weather proofing and weathering resistance from the home inspection perspective.

 

Stephen J. Bittner, PE

Bittner Property Inspections, LLC

Soffit and Ridge Passive Roof Ventilation Considerations During Home Inspections

The purpose of ventilating the attic is to cool the roof deck and reduce humidity in the summer and to prevent condensation in the attic in winter. High temperatures can degrade the roof covering a…

Source: Soffit and Ridge Passive Roof Ventilation Considerations During Home Inspections

Get a home inspector

Home inspection is a critical step in your home purchase process. This blog has been created to assist the buyer in understanding home inspection procedures, and interpreting the results, in order to make an informed decision about your purchase.