Vinyl Siding Oddity

[Jerry Simon]

We've all seen warped/distorted vinyl siding; from barbecues, sun reflection off windows, etc. In this picture, hopefully you can see that, from the top of the window down, on this detached garage, most every piece of vinyl siding is severely warped/rippled. (Garage is not heated, and has unfinished typical, sheathed stud walls.)

Seller claims it happened during a cold winter. Huh?

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[Trent Tarter]

Interesting, I have never seen anything quite like that.

I did see a place one time where an RV caught fire in the street and it melted the vinyl siding off the front of the home.

[Jim Katen]

Why don't you think that it's reflected sunlight from windows? I see a beam of concentrated reflected light in the picture.

[Jerry Simon]

Why don't you think that it's reflected sunlight from windows? I see a beam of concentrated reflected light in the picture.

Might be; it's a north garage wall elevation, with the sun behind it. Enclosed house porch is facing the wall, with windows. But the porch windows are at least 20' away. That's why I didn't think it was reflected light; every time I've seen it, the culprit window was close to the siding. But, I'll bet yer right.

[Jim Katen]

I've seen it happening from that far away.

[Scottpat]

On my patio during the months of February and March we get reflected light from a home that is about 75 to 100 yards away on our patio. I have recorded temps as high as 155f on our patio table from the reflected light. It comes off a 42"x42" square window over a garden tub.

[inspector57]

Think about a magnifying glass which concentrates the light to start a fire. It works as a ratio of the curvature of the lens and the distance to the surface affected (also the light source) so the amount of heat can vary due the the curvature of the window and the distance to the wall. Might have happened during winter due to the change in window curvature due to ambient temps as well as solar arching south during winter months.

Kind of a neat problem to figure out where and when the problem occurs... unless it is your house that has the damage!

[Marc]

Think about a magnifying glass which concentrates the light to start a fire. It works as a ratio of the curvature of the lens and the distance to the surface affected (also the light source) so the amount of heat can vary due the the curvature of the window and the distance to the wall. Might have happened during winter due to the change in window curvature due to ambient temps as well as solar arching south during winter months.

Kind of a neat problem to figure out where and when the problem occurs... unless it is your house that has the damage!

Except that a magnifying glass uses refraction. The glazing over the garden tub used reflection.

Marc

[Tom Raymond]

I have pictures of a working class neighborhood where almost every house on the block has damage or will have. Big solar cross hairs everywhere.

[mjr6550]

I was walking around my neighborhood a few months ago and saw a large secation of siding that was buckled at least that much. I don't think there were any Windows on that wall or at the adjacent house. Right below the damaged area was a storage shed. I assumed the damage was due to heat radiating from the roof.