What could have done this to my vinyl siding?

[Squisher]

Text

Lightning?

There are no heat sources behind that wall besides a toaster oven that sits on the counter top and is seldom used. I would think any heat source from inside would have caused some damage to the cabinet directly above. This is new housing so the walls are insulated.

I haven't used any chemicals on the deck since the previous spring.

WTF

UPDATE: I got the siding off (hey, it's been raining around here)

Here is what I found

Here is a pic from the inside.

All the electrical wiring and connections look sound and unblemished.

The switch for the outside light is a different circuit, but that outside outlet is hooked to the kitchen circuit too.

Should I cut a 16" X 8" hole in the sheathing?

 

[PingSpike]

Good question...don't see how a toaster inside the house that wasn't on fire could do that. Maybe bad wiring causing a lot of heat? Thats a stretch though, probably not.

I assume no one was using a gas grill there...because that is what I would guess.

 

[dennilfloss]

Ball lightning?

 

[imported_LoKe]

Aliens?

 

[FoBoT]

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ght_key=y&keyword1=ufo

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
Good question...don't see how a toaster inside the house that wasn't on fire could do that. Maybe bad wiring causing a lot of heat? Thats a stretch though, probably not.

I assume no one was using a gas grill there...because that is what I would guess.

No, I'm a charcoal kinda guy and the grill is 20 feet from there on a lower level and 12 feet from the house.

 

[Howard]

It's a face!

 

[vi edit]

Was the discoloration near the decking done at the same time? Also, did you just come home from work or wake up some morning to this?

 

[se7en]

Did it just happen?

I would look closely at that outside outlet and the porch light since it appears to be heat damage. Are they both used on a regular basis?

 

[Fritzo]

Well, to do some CSI work on the picture: the melting pattern boarders the post there, so that would indicate something was applied to the surface of the siding. Patios have grills- do you have kids and lighter fluid around? Could a grill/heat source gotten too close to the house?

 

[biggestmuff]

Is it possible that the sunlight is being focused by the security light's glass housing? The shadow from the light housing indicates it may be possible. Maybe a few hours everyday, amplified sunlight sweeps across that damaged area. Check at various times tomorrow to see if this is the case.

 

[RU482]

are you sure there wasn't a grill placed nearby at some point?

I had my gas grill set out about 3 feet from the house and it did something similar, just not quite as bad

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: redly1
are you sure there wasn't a grill placed nearby at some point?

I had my gas grill set out about 3 feet from the house and it did something similar, just not quite as bad

Same here.

Looks like brain dead grilling to me

 

[Gillbot]

Kids causing trouble?

It definately looks to be from fire or heat though.

 

[Evadman]

Looks like grill damage.

 

[jupiter57]

If that's not grill damage, then it must be overspray from staining the deck rail.
Maybe some of the stain got on it while applying and the solvent in the stain "melted" the siding.
It DOES have the same "coloring" appearance as the stain on the wooden post/rail.

 

[Squisher]

No grill anywhere near there.

All the melting seems to be centered around the railing.

I don't think I've ever used that outlet in the two years I've lived here.

That light has been turned on maybe 20 times in two years.

I can say without a doubt that it wasn't like that a week ago. I have to water those window boxes that I have around the perimeter of the deck like every other day when temps get in the high 80's. It's rained a couple of times in the last week so I haven't watered in a week.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Evadman
Looks like grill damage.

All I can think of is grill.

How long have you been in the house?

Just using it a few times won't do that, but over time it will warp from the heat. Possibly previous owner?

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: jupiter57
If that's not grill damage, then it must be overspray from staining the deck rail.
Maybe some of the stain got on it while applying and the solvent in the stain "melted" the siding.
It DOES have the same "coloring" appearance as the stain on the wooden post/rail.

If that was the cause then it took 16 months to take effect.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Squisher
No grill anywhere near there.

All the melting seems to be centered around the railing.

I don't think I've ever used that outlet in the two years I've lived here.

That light has been turned on maybe 20 times in two years.

I can say without a doubt that it wasn't like that a week ago. I have to water those window boxes that I have around the perimeter of the deck like every other day when temps get in the high 80's. It's rained a couple of times in the last week so I haven't watered in a week.

Pool of water anywhere around that's reflecting/focusing sun on the area?

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Evadman
Looks like grill damage.

All I can think of is grill.

How long have you been in the house?

Just using it a few times won't do that, but over time it will warp from the heat. Possibly previous owner?

I would have noticed. I was working on that railing just 16 months ago. Infact I had plastic duct taped over the siding to prevent any solvents from staining the siding.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Squisher
No grill anywhere near there.

All the melting seems to be centered around the railing.

I don't think I've ever used that outlet in the two years I've lived here.

That light has been turned on maybe 20 times in two years.

I can say without a doubt that it wasn't like that a week ago. I have to water those window boxes that I have around the perimeter of the deck like every other day when temps get in the high 80's. It's rained a couple of times in the last week so I haven't watered in a week.

Pool of water anywhere around that's reflecting/focusing sun on the area?

That would be some kind of ownage.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Squisher
No grill anywhere near there.

All the melting seems to be centered around the railing.

I don't think I've ever used that outlet in the two years I've lived here.

That light has been turned on maybe 20 times in two years.

I can say without a doubt that it wasn't like that a week ago. I have to water those window boxes that I have around the perimeter of the deck like every other day when temps get in the high 80's. It's rained a couple of times in the last week so I haven't watered in a week.

Pool of water anywhere around that's reflecting/focusing sun on the area?

Yes, maybe 70 feet from there. All the houses in my sub back up to a 50 to 100 foot wide pond that snakes along for a mile.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Bad wiring?

 

[bctbct]

Are you sure that somebody didnt use a solvent to wipe something off?