Looked at a house today with lap siding. I believe it is a masonite or fiber board product. On the east wall, Denver Colorado area, the siding is buckling in seversl places. There seems to be room for expansion at the seams as there is a good 1/8 inch gap between pieces at the joints which are covered with aluminum covers. The homeowner believes that the wall stays pretty dry as the weather does not come from the east typicaly. It looks like what you might see if water was getting into it ,however some of the waviness is nearly at the top umder a 12 inch gable overhang.
The homeowner mentioned seeing some streaking coming from between the laps in places, and thought it may be a condensation problem. This makes sense when you look at the siding. He also mentioned that it is more noticeable during the winter months than the summer.
Any body got an idea?
Thanks
Jim at Great White
Replies
I've seen waviness in cheap hardboard siding (and, of course, in vinyl). In hardboard I suspect the primary problem is simply a lack of stiffness and uneven framing, but thermal expansion or moisture could also play a role. (Though in the cases I've seen I've seen no other symptoms to suggest moisture is at fault.) The streaking would, of course, suggest a moisture problem -- humidity from the inside condensing in the insulation or on the back of the siding.
And if there is more of a buckling effect and it's localized to a few locations, that would suggest that the foundation and/or framing is failing.
This sort of issue can be very dependent on local conditions; call a local ASHI home inspector. Many will answer questions like that over the phone - or at least give a differential diagnosis (ie. mention possibilities) for the area.
Fibor board products have undergone a number of changes over the yeas, especially LP siding, so the exact age of the house will be an important factor.