Why Does House Siding Warp?

At some point, maybe in the summer months, you may see the vinyl siding on your house become wavy or warped. While the cause may be natural or manmade, his type of damage can happen to any home with vinyl siding. Here are some common reasons why house siding becomes warped.

Poor Installation

Buckling and distorting is always considered during siding installation. Contractors know that siding cannot be held tight against the side of your house. Instead, if the siding is secured but loose (to a degree), then any average amount of stress on the vinyl pieces won’t cause lasting damage.

Reflected Sunlight

Usually, light rays that come directly from the sun won’t do too much melt to your siding, but if sunlight is reflected or pinpointed, the temperature of the sunrays increases to a damaging degree.

Standing water can reflect sunlight back onto your house, and when that reflected sunlight is added to the sunrays already hitting your house, your siding may begin to warp.

Another common issue is the reflection of sunlight from nearby windows, especially windows with high-UV protection. When sunrays reflect and concentrate on to the same area year-round, the vinyl siding will start to “bubble” or ripple.

Dark Paint

Darker colors absorb more heat than lighter colors, which is why you get hotter in the summer while wearing a black outfit than if you’re in white. The same principle applied to siding. If the vinyl siding is repainted with a darker color, the vinyl absorbs more heat and expands, warps and buckles.

If you do wish to paint your vinyl a darker color, there are lines of paints crafted specifically to be safe in the sunlight.

Household Heat Sources

Outdoor gas and charcoal grills can give you delicious kabobs and jerk chicken, but remember to grill several feet away from the side of your house. Grill temperatures can get as high as 400°F or hotter, and all of that heat can easily transfer into the vinyl siding panels.

Improper ventilation from inside your home can also cause siding to appear wavy. If a hot air vent is pushing air directly against your siding, and those panels can’t bend and flex, you may see buckling or bulging.

Settling Foundation

Sometimes, if the foundation of your house shifts or settles, your siding may bend along with it. A settling foundation is normal, and while it’s often minimal and doesn’t affect siding, drastic changes in the foundation’s level can cause warping.

Repairing Warped Siding

Unfortunately once vinyl siding has been warped from heat, it’s nearly impossible to return it to its original state (unless you have an industrial siding mold and an insanely hot heat source).

Luckily, siding is usually installed in strips or panels, so if one becomes damaged, it can be removed and replaced. If you need new siding, give us a call. We’ll inspect the area, give you a quote and your house will be back to normal as soon as possible.