# Vinyl siding on north side of house damaged by neighbor's Low E-Glass windows reflection sun!



## Don2222 (Sep 21, 2012)

Hello

Just saw Hank Phillipe's report on ch 7. Did anyone see this report and this youtube video?
I think she saw this video on youtube


Then she drove around Sommerville, Medford and Malden Mass where the houses are very close to each other and have had their houses vinyl sided for many years

Hank's report
http://www1.whdh.com/features/articles/hank/BO148807/melting-siding/

I like her solution. Tell your neighbor to put awnings on their windows!


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## coverdome (Sep 22, 2012)

Had a similar issue with my windows.  Put a new deck on a couple of years ago, and the sun reflecting from the windows melted holes in the vinyl fabric on the deck furniture and rugs. Seems the gas between the dual panes of glass leaks out creating a vacuum, sucking the panes together.  The glass bends to a convex form, which concentrates the sunlight.  Gets hot enough to melt plastic.

They were 19 year old  Andersen windows with a 20 yr warranty.  Andersen sent guys to fix the ones they could, and replaced the ones they couldn't fix.  The fix is to drill holes to vent the space between the panes and let the glass flex back to its original shape, then reseal.  If the panes of glass have distorted enough that they touch, the coating on the glass is marred and the window needs to be replaced.

Its amazing the glass flexed that much and did not shatter, although the repair guys said sometimes they do implode.

If you have older Andersen double pane casement, awning, or fixed pane windows you might want to check for deforming glass.


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## ScotO (Sep 22, 2012)

Wow, who'd have thought that could happen?  Wonder if it's ever caused a structure fire?


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## begreen (Sep 22, 2012)

Amazing. He said there was one case of a house catching fire.


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## mepellet (Sep 24, 2012)

Yup, happened to an isolated area of vinyl siding on my parents house.  They got new windows installed five years ago with half screens (so the top half of the double hung windows do not have screens). One window that faces west is close to an inside corner on the exterior of the house.  The adjacent wall faces south.  The sun was reflecting off of the window and starting to melt the siding of the adjacent south facing wall.  They called up the window installer and ordered a full screen two years ago.  The melting has since stopped.


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## backpack09 (Sep 24, 2012)

Stop installing vinyl on peoples houses.  It is ugly, and apparently, melts.


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## Don2222 (Sep 24, 2012)

mepellet said:


> Yup, happened to an isolated area of vinyl siding on my parents house. They got new windows installed five years ago with half screens (so the top half of the double hung windows do not have screens). One window that faces west is close to an inside corner on the exterior of the house. The adjacent wall faces south. The sun was reflecting off of the window and starting to melt the siding of the adjacent south facing wall. They called up the window installer and ordered a full screen two years ago. The melting has since stopped.


 
Nice Fix MePellet !

A full screen is much better than Hank Phillipi's fix to add window Awnings! ! ! !


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## mepellet (Sep 25, 2012)

Don2222 said:


> Nice Fix MePellet !
> 
> A full screen is much better than Hank Phillipi's fix to add window Awnings! ! ! !


 
Since it was their own window melting their siding the screen was a cheap and _easy_ fix.

Now, what about people where their siding is melting due to the neighbors windows?  Seems like since there are organizations that recognize this problem, that the window manufacturers or installers should be held liable for installations that are creating these problems.  Re-siding a house isn't cheap....


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