PREVENTING MELTING SIDING
Is Your Siding Melting?
If so, you've found your solution here! Read on...
Basically what is happening is the Sun's rays are being concentrated and reflecting off of your neighbor's Low-E (E = "energy") window(s) and therefore increases the intensity of the heat that is now concentrated and directed at your home's siding which "melts" your siding. Unfortunately, the siding and window companies are not taking full responsibility for this problem which now costs the homeowner $$$$ to replace their siding while hoping that they can get their neighbor to replace their windows or the glass in their windows or do something about their windows! Good news is that you do you have options! See "6 Ways..." below.
At Breeze Thru Screens, we have had GREAT success with our window screens that we build to cover your windows to stop this from happening! We install window screens with SunTex80 solar screen by Phifer over the customer's windows or their neighbor's windows depending upon which window(s) are contributing to the problem. The solar screen breaks up the Sun's rays and keeps them from becoming concentrated or "pinpoint beams" which is what causes the damage. Our screens are by far the cheapest option from the list you'll read below and they're working! Depending on your the type of window you have, will determine how we install the screen. Emailing us pictures will help us let you know what we will need to do.
SunTex 80 is darker than standard fiberglass screen mesh, but you still have a great view through the screen. See our Solar Screen page for more info, click here:
6 Ways to Prevent Your Vinyl Siding from Melting
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Placing a Full Screen over the window – The full screen over the glass will break the solar energy apart and create what’s called solar diffraction by the threads of the woven screen creating less energy coming from the sun to the focal point. You can ask us which neighbor’s window will need this if necessary. $-$$
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According to one source, using a PTI screen or film – PTI is a material made by Protect Industry and MFG to help with solar glare and solar heat issues on windows. The concept is exactly the same as putting a full screen on the window. The difference is this material is connected to the window pane, not the window frame. This is the perfect alternative if a casement window is causing your vinyl to melt and you want to be able to keep it functional. Homeowners can have an exterior screen on the glass while the window can still swing outward. $$-$$$ PLEASE NOTE: Our experience is that Solar Film does not work. We've had customers go this route first, and it did not work. We know the owner of Solar Film in Richmond and he also says that solar film will NOT stop the melting of siding.
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Homeowners can also cover the low-e windows with awnings or shades to keep the Sun off. But this is not a 100% guarantee. If the Sun's rays can still "hit" the window, then the melting will still occur. $$$-$$$$
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Replace the low-e glass with a different type of glass. There are many different glass package options out there. Ask a window company to see if the glass on your window can be replaced and what type of glass is right for your situation. $$-$$$$
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Replace your windows with another type of window without the low-e glass. In Richmond, VA, contact Window Depot at 9041 W Broad Street at (804)477-8830. They have many windows to choose from to fit many budgets. $$$-$$$$
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Plant a landscape buffer between homes to prevent the reflections from hitting the vinyl siding. Plants can be an attractive method of helping to solve a problem while also adding to the beauty of your home’s landscaping. $$$_$$$$
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Replace your siding with vinyl siding that is resistant to high temperatures above 250 degrees F. Higher end vinyl sidings are worth the investment if this is a common issue that will need to be addressed year after year. $$$$
This is the home of a customer of ours whose own windows were melting her siding (see beneath double window on top floor). These are the solar screens we mounted to her window frames. She wanted all of the windows to have the same screen mesh so that they would all match even though they weren't all melting the siding.
Here's another customer's home where we installed SunTex 80 solar screens over their windows to keep them from melting their neighbor's siding.
Elevation view of representative solar radiation geometry for neighboring homes.
More Info on Why Siding Melts
The Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) states that temperature ranges beginning at 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit can soften normal grades of vinyl siding. Also to note, darker colors absorb more heat and can soften before lighter colors of siding. The heat generated from sunlight from double-paned low-e windows measures around 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit, but this doesn’t always result in a damaging reflected sunlight incident. You need to have a combination of contributing factors before the effect causes damage to your vinyl siding:
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You need to have the presence of the concavity in the double glass panes (the primary cause of the heat generation) combined with the angle of the sun.
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A low angle of sunlight like in late fall, winter, or early spring, is more likely to produce the effect.
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Proximity to the adjoining house, wind speed, air temperature, and the presence of buffering foliage are all additional contributing factors.
