TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Have you ever heard of solar distortion? That's when a home's vinyl siding melts because of sunlight reflected off of the windows next door. It's happening all across the country and costing individual homeowners thousands of dollars. Here's more in in this Angie's List report.
Vinyl siding is the most popular single-family home siding product in the United States. It's economical and durable, unless it's in the "hot zone" of a neighbor's energy efficient – or "Low E" – windows.
"It's just a perfect confluence of events that leads to this. You have to have the right angle of the sun, so depending on the time of day, if the sun's high in the sky or not… we actually see more cases, we've been called out more in the winter time when the sun is lower," said siding professional Judd Haag.
The Low-E windows act like a magnifying glass, shooting the sun's rays like a laser beam onto the house next door.
"This has become such a problem that many of the vinyl siding companies are actually excluding damage from Low E window reflection from their warranties," said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List.
Vinyl siding companies and window manufacturers point the finger of responsibility at each other. Many lawsuits are in the works, but that still leaves homeowners like Maura Lewis to find their own solutions.
One option is to upgrade to a fiber-cement or "hearty plank" siding, but that's about three times more expensive than standard vinyl.
"I kind of felt like our hands were tied, you know. We were kind of stuck with the situation and not really being able to fix it at the time until we got more information on how to do that," said homeowner Maura Lewis.
Experts recommend installing exterior screens over the offending windows to diffuse the heat -- something that requires a cooperative neighbor.
Judd Haag – SOT #2
"It's probably going to become more and more prevalent, and unfortunately, builders are probably going to try and keep their costs down and they're still going to use the lower-cost vinyl siding. And unfortunately customers and homeowners are going to have this problem popping up more and more," said Haag.
If you notice solar distortion on your home, first talk to your neighbor and see if they'll work with you. If they agree to install screens or awnings, then you can contact your home builder and ask if the company will cover the cost to fix your siding.
Remember you can catch the latest Angie's List report every Tuesday morning on WTXL Sunrise.
