Vinyl siding blown off by wind

There were wind gusts of up to 65 mph recorded at a nearby airport about a month ago which ripped off a total of about 100 sq feet of my vinyl siding in two separate areas of my house. The nail slots in the siding were not torn, the siding pulled the nails right out. The siding was installed about

2 1/5 years ago and the work was warranteed against all material and labor defects for 25 years. The contractor is claiming that the siding coming loose was "obviously" not from a work defect as the wind gusts were so high - he was claiming 100 to 200 mph which is a bunch of BS. He says that my homeowners insurance should pay for it. My question is, can anyone refer me to any kind of code or standard for installation of vinyl siding specifying what kind of wind speeds it should hold up to without coming lose from the house? I'm tired of being jerked around.

Thanks, John

Reply to
John Richards
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Seems like the material itself did not fail. So did the contractor nail it properly? A roofing nail every 16" of the correct length? Do you have insurance? If so I would let them handle it and the contractor. Otherwise I would be reading all the fine print in the contract and warrantee and trying to prove it was incorrectly installed. What is the wall sheathing like? Unless the contractor installed the sheathing he may not be responsible if it can't hold the nails.

The siding was installed about

Reply to
Pat

Thanks for the reply. If the siding were nailed into the wall studs with the proper length nails, it shouldn't matter what the wall sheathing was like, right?

Reply to
John Richards

My siding, that has been on the house over 15 years, just went thru 3 major hurricanes. All siding is still on the house. No damage at all. I think your installation was done wrong. Have it inspected by the insurance folks. Good luck

Reply to
Chuck B.

you make the claim with your homeowners insurance and explain the situation. they will cover the cost and decide if its worth going after the contractor.

how much to repair $$$???

Reply to
hallerb

John Richards wrote: ..

I doubt if you are going to find may applications where the siding is all nailed into studs. It would be pure luck. Sheathing should do it.

Let's fact it. You home was damaged by the wind. 65 mph is enough to do damage. Call you insurance company.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

My vinyl siding was nailed up 21 years ago. Since then, I have done two alterations to the outside which required the removal of the siding. I had to use a claw to pull the 1" roofing nails out, which were installed haphazardly in the 1/2" plywood sheathing without regard to the location of studs. I live on the top of a hill which gets its share of high winds, including a few hurricanes and at least one tornado over those 21 years. No siding has ever blown off or even came loose.

Reply to
willshak

Why do you have insurance, you have it for unplanned ocurances like wind damage. You can waste time and effort fighting the installer and get nowhere or relax and let the insurance company handle things. You may be right, but is it worth getting angry over, no, just get it fixed right. If you are worried about future damage then get a pro out to document and diagnose the issue. Just because 60 mph was at the airport does not mean 100mph+ wasnt at your house, research Microburst. Unless you were outside measuring the wind you really have no idea how strong it was at the time the damage ocured. A pro can tell you if the rest of your job is going to survive another storm. just be happy you have insurance.

Reply to
m Ransley

Reply to
Marvel

Who installed the sheathing and picked out the type to use. That could be the problem. Either that or the contractor did not use the right nails or enuf nails putting up the siding. Check gaps between holes and that will tell you if enuf nails were used.

Reply to
Art

The house was originally built in 1987 with "Thermoply" sheathing (a 1/8 in thick silver surfaced material which meets local code - Ryan Homes still uses the stuff) with vinyl siding over the Thermoply. I had never had a problem (other than fading and getting tired of the color) with the original vinyl siding for 16 years (I suspect the siding was nailed to the studs). The new siding was installed over a layer of Tyvek wrap and a layer of 1/2 in foamboard nailed over the Thermoply which is the normal procedure for the contractors from whom I had gotten estimates.

A piece of siding in one of the two areas pulled loose within a year of the installation and the contractor nailed it back up. Now, after 2 1/2 years, siding in the same area and also in another area were pulled completely off the house. I'm sure the heavy winds were responsible for the siding being pulled off, but my problem is that there was very little similar damage to other vinyl clad houses in the neighborhood (most of which were built with

1/2 in OSB) or in the general area, but mine sustained considerable damage that seems out of line with what happened in the surrounding area. I suspect that when the new siding was installed that it was not nailed to the studs as I had assumed, but just through the foamboard and into the Thermoply and that is why the nails pulled out. I am currently trying to find out if there are any local codes addressing the installation of vinyl siding over Thermoply and if there is, and the contractor didn't install the siding according to code, I will persue the matter, otherwise I will try to have it taken care of through insurance.

I am putting a lot of time and energy into this rather than just relying on insurance because I feel I spent good money to have a job done right and if it wasn't I think it is up to the contractor to make it right. Besides, if everyone relies on insurance to correct poor workmansip by contractors, everyones insurance rates will go up - also I would have to pay a $250 deductable.

Thanks to those who commented, John

Reply to
John Richards

Do you know the manufacturer of the siding you got? They've probably got installation instructions. Get those, and compare them to what you actually got.

While you're at it, send pictures to the MF, and see if they have any theories.

Reply to
Goedjn

I think the simple answer to your problem is in places where the siding has come lose, use screws instead of nails. Deck screws should do.

I've founds nails and screws in my siding, not sure why they used nails in some places and screws in others.

It's pretty much impossible for the installer to put the nails or screws into the studs and I don't think it is necessary. If the nails went in deep enough to hit a stud, they could also find your plumbing and wiring.

Reply to
Dan Espen

I'd avoid deck screws, the underside of the flat head (cone shaped) tends to cause the vinyl to distort and the head may slip out thru the slot. Secondly, most deck screws have at least 1/2" of no-thread, near the head, which means it won't grip sheathing that well.

There's a variety of screw that consists of a hex (not socket!) head, with integral washer. One variety (self-drilling/tapping with a rubber washer) is used for sheet steel roofing.

IIRC, you need a 5/16" socket driver and you can buy the screws by the pound from many places. They're a bit more expensive than deck screws, but, they don't need to be anywhere near as long. You just want 'em galvanized.

I think they're called "self-tapping screws" if you buy them as blister packs.

Or, they may be called sheet metal roofing screws (you don't need the washer type)

Use those instead of flat heads.

They're _great_ for siding.

Reply to
Chris Lewis

The latter isn't a problem in this case, since OP says the siding is going in over foam-board insulation.

according to

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you should use #8 pan-head screws.

Reply to
Goedjn

The foamboard has no holding strength. Thermoply? is that a foamboard also? What size nails were used, Does Thermoply have a fastening recomendation. If it was done wrong, against siding or sheeting recomendations you have a claim.

Reply to
m Ransley

Reply to
Marvel

By the way, vinyl sliding expands and moves so is never nailed tightly.

My guess is the Ryland installation worked with their crappy foam sheathing because they could see the studs and some of the nails went into the studs on purpose. When the foam board went up, they did not align it with the studs and just nailed away. You got screwed. Even so, you might want to report it to your insurance company just in case you cannot resolve it. Usually there is a deadline. But I suspect all of the siding needs to come down, along with the foam, and reinstalled correctly. That would not be covered by insurance. You might call you state license board and file a complaint. Same thing with BBB. May be a waste of effort but some licensing boards do work. Also try the state attorney general's offfice. I would do it all.

Reply to
Art

replying to Art, Rocco wrote: Your being stubborn. Call your insurance co.. you'll end up in court with additional expenses and no guarantee you'll win. Regardless of who did what, save yourself a headache.

Reply to
Rocco

You're being stupid. You are reply to a 10 year old thread. Dunce.

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

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