What If Water Gets Behind Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is one of the best water resistant siding options you can get.

What if water gets behind vinyl siding. Vinyl siding is designed as an exterior cladding only and is supposed to be installed over other materials such as a weather resistant barrier. Water which makes it s way behind the hardie siding should hit the flashing layer. This material is resistant to rain snow and ice which makes it a great choice to protect your home with. If an installer uses a material such as incorrectly this only exacerbates the problem.

Although vinyl does a great job of keeping water out it does not offer a complete waterproof design. Vinyl is a potentially leaky material and water trapped behind siding leads to decay and mold. In this video this old house general contractor tom silva shows how to prevent water from leaking in behind vinyl siding. When siding is put back behind the gutter the lowest piece of flashing running down the pitch of the roof above must be fashioned to divert water into the gutter not behind the siding.

Why is there moisture behind my siding. To further protect the home a waterproof barrier should be installed between the siding and the home. For homes with vinyl siding many homeowners are under the false assumption that vinyl is waterproof. How to prevent water from flowing under vinyl siding.

J channel is a poor design if not flashed well it allows water to get in behind siding. Inspect the area above the leak including both indoors and out. Using detailed examples and photos of leaky building siding siding stains ice or other leak clues for vinyl siding we illustrate the installation mistakes or subsequent siding damage that can cause troublesome even dangerous leaks into a building wall or wall. Remember one of the main hardie siding problems is water damage however it s also one of the easiest to prevent with proper installation.

Check to be sure weep holes are open along bottom of window openings. The flashing keeps water off the sheathing and drains water properly which prevents water damage. Although vinyl is impervious to water when installed as directed by the manufacturer vinyl siding as a whole is not completely watertight. This article describes the causes of all types of leaks in building siding and wall coverings.