Lp siding problems Clark County WA: How can you know your Lp siding has problems in Clark County WA? As the owner of Preferred Exteriors I have been inspecting Lp siding even years before Lp went into the infamous class action lawsuit which was way back in 1995. If you have Lp t1-11 panel style siding the problem will appear along the bottom of each panel at the drip edge. Also along the tops of the window header and along the bottom corners of each window where rain collects and slowly drips off. Lp siding is made from Oriented Strand Board also called OSB. It is basically chunks of wood glued together that starts to delaminate and rot over time when it gets wet. It was an inexpensive option during the building boom of the late 80′ and 90’s.
Most Lp siding problems come from being older than 20 years and stays damp or wet much of the year. In drier climates it doesn’t nearly have the problems it has in Clark County. It is important to know that Lp “panel style siding” is nailed up directly over the studs of the structure with no moisture barrier to protect those studs. This is where the expensive problem comes up with potential structural rot repair. If you have horizontal Lp lap siding its much harder to tell because it is difficult to know if there is any moisture barrier protecting the sheeting and if the wood under the horizontal Lp lap siding is rotting. The Oriented Strand Board wood underneath is also almost always made by Lp.
As the owner and inspector at Preferred Exteriors, I use digitally calibrated moisture meters to narrow down exactly where the potential Lp siding problems are. If your Lp siding was installed over 20 years ago the chances are high there may be damaged areas since rain has been saturating it for so long. Call Preferred Exteriors at (360) 687-4646 to see how we can help and we can inspect your siding. Many siding companies in Vancouver WA, Battle Ground or the Camas WA area will try to talk you into redoing the entire house even if you don’t need it. We wont. I will simply show you where there can be problems and you decide what is best for you.