Siding
Why Is My Siding Warping on the Side Facing My Neighbor's Windows?
Sunlight bouncing off a nearby window can focus enough heat on vinyl siding to warp it. Vinyl starts to distort at around 165°F. The fix has two parts: stop the reflection (usually a screen on the window that is bouncing the light), then replace the warped panels. Replacing the siding alone does not stop it from happening again.
Updated
What Makes It Happen
Reflected sunlight
Glass reflects the sun onto the wall next door. When the sun hits at the right angle, that wall gets far hotter than direct sun alone would make it.
Slightly bowed glass
Double-pane glass can flex a little with temperature and air pressure. A bowed pane can focus the reflection like a lens, which concentrates the heat.
Inside corners and close homes
Inside corners, alcoves and walls close to the next house trap heat and catch light at a low angle. At low angles, plain glass reflects about as much as energy-efficient low-E glass does.
Darker siding colors
Darker vinyl soaks up more heat, so it reaches its warping point sooner than light colors do.
How to Check
- 1
Look for waves, ripples or sagging on the wall that faces a neighbor, in a patch roughly the shape of a window.
- 2
On a sunny afternoon, check whether a bright patch of reflected light lands on that spot. It may only show up for a few weeks a year, when the sun sits at the right angle.
- 3
Find the window it is coming from. Often it is the neighbor's window, but it can be one of your own on an inside corner.
- 4
Take photos with the date on them. They help when you talk with your neighbor, your builder or your siding warranty.
If you have found the source, we can replace the warped panels and talk with you about a lighter color or a different siding on that wall so it holds up. We will tell you straight if a screen on the other window is the real fix.
Common Questions
Is warped siding from window reflection dangerous?
Usually not. The Vinyl Siding Institute has said distorted vinyl is safe and not toxic. It is mostly a looks problem, but a warped panel can pull loose over time, so it is worth fixing.
Does this really happen near Chicago?
Yes. ABC7 Chicago reported it in Lombard in 2015, where sunlight reflecting off newer homes' energy-efficient windows warped the siding on houses next door. The builder, Pulte Homes, provided screens for some of the windows involved.
Will a window screen stop it?
Often, yes. A screen on the outside of the window that is doing the reflecting can block more than 40 percent of the reflected energy. Awnings, trees or tall shrubs between the houses can help too.
Will new siding just melt again?
It can, if nothing changes about the reflection. Stop the reflection first, or choose a siding that tolerates more heat, such as a lighter vinyl color or a different material on that wall.
Does Renovate Right 365 replace warped siding?
Yes. We replace damaged panels or whole walls, and we will help you pick a siding that holds up on a wall that takes reflected sun.
Sources
Want a Straight Answer on Yours?
Renovate Right 365 will look at it in person and tell you whether it needs a repair, a replacement, or nothing at all. Or call (877) 517-7365.
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