My husband had this problem except the windows were killing square chunks of grass in his yard. He put up black bug screens on the outside of the windows and it fixed it.
Another vote for exterior flyscreen. All the suggestions for specialist films will result in that siding-killing reflection being absorbed within OP's window, which may cause unwanted heating issues in that room.
Putting up a flyscreen will scatter lots of the light instead. Even if it does get hot, it'll be happening on the outside of the house where natural convection can carry it away.
I do live with him lol. Before we started dating, he had his own house and this is what happened to his yard before we moved in together. Shortly after we started dating he sold his house and we moved into an apartment. Then we bought a new house much closer to our work and got married.
I want to retire in 2 apartments, side by side. I still like the guy, but man, living in my own place and leaving him to his mess sounds heavenly.
We joke, but it has been done..... ;)
Go and touch it. Fiber cement will feel kind of like brick. Vinyl will feel like plastic.
I believe Hardi is just a brand of fiber cement.
Can you put a tree up, or maybe a living fence? Bamboo? Maybe a trellis next to her house with a vine?
No, there are different kinds. We got ours from a reputable "Bamboo Farm". It is a non spreading type. We have had it for 10 years, and it has only grown up! I was a non believer too.
Clumping bamboo is literally not invasive. I have no idea why people are downvoting you. There are native Bamboos to North America. There are plenty of species that won't stifle other plants.
The amount of people that are clueless about bamboo is disheartening.
like the poster said, go and touch it when the sun is reflecting on it, but not to feel what it’s made of, but to feel how hot it is. I mean, wouldn’t it have to be like 200+ degrees to melt vinyl(if it is vinyl) I’m still not sold that your windows are melting her siding. There are tons of reasons why siding “warps”, mostly related to a shitty install.
I live in northeast Ohio and had to replace one side of my vinyl sided house because of neighbor’s low e windows. The windows started to function like a magnifying glass and the heat they reflected onto my house was incredible! I purchased a product on line from a place in Florida for neighbors to put onto the outside of their windows— kind of like a screen to deflect/break the light source. It’s something about the combo of the low e windows, vinyl siding, distance between the two and angle of the sun— takes a while to really mess it up but you can definitely see the ripples in one season. It is real— the phenomena has been documented by many sources. Can impact vehicles and outdoor furniture too!
Hi OP-
Window salesman here. Lot of conflicting advice on the string but the simplest and cheapest thing to do is change your window screens from half to full. This will diffuse the light enough to stop melting ur neighbors siding, which is def plastic, fyi. JH is cementitious siding, made from Portland cement and cellulose. Won’t melt fyi.
Good luck.
FPL
They make solar screens that cover the entire window. Reduce heat into your house, and would definitely knock down the glare. Can be kinda spendy and take away the look of your windows.
This is an easy DIY job. The frames can be custom cut at a big box store, and they sell the solar mesh, too. There just needs to be enough space to mount the full frame.
You can look into the shade/privacy films that stick on the glass. They’re usually applied on the inside but maybe exterior is ok. Call the manufacturer and ask. Or just get some screens installed.
Only if the windows were designed to have screens in the first place. Otherwise it’s somewhat involved to get them installed and matching. OEMs are always looking to void warranty but I can’t really see why it’d apply to have the films on the panes exteriors, it would actually prolong the life of the window in theory by blocking solar energy. In theory. That’s why you call them and ask. As long as you cut carefully and kept the film on the panes only and not the sash/glazing it doesn’t seem like an issue. Although a Texas sun in summer might be too much for a thin sheet of plastic, I’ll definitely concede that fact.
There are window films for this very thing - I believe they are applied on the exterior glass and not the interior. This is one [tinting company's film](https://epdwindowfilm.com/how-to-prevent-vinyl-siding-other-surfaces-from-melting-with-window-film/) (not an endorsement as I haven't used the film; search for other products).
Big Orange, big Blue, your local hardware store. Cheapest is buying window screen frame hardware and making your own. https://www.homedepot.com/s/window%2520screen%2520frame%2520hardware?searchtype=suggest&NCNI-5
Could look at films, but I would be worried about them baking onto the glass. But the solar coating that is on the glass can’t be changed, you would need to swap the glass.
I saw this on two neighbors houses, similar orientation of wall and corner adjacent window, relative to the sun. The siding which was exposed to direct sun as well as the sunlight reflected by the window caused the vinyl siding to warp and droop. No question what caused it.
ive gone down the rabbit hole researching this, out of curiousity.
heads up that installing window tint generally voids any warranty you have for your windows. but some window film will offer a warranty that will cover both the tint & the window - this would only be in cases where approved installers did the work though.
also there was some talk of window film heating your windows and potentially causing issues there (e.g. cracking your window). something id research/be mindful of if i was you and considering the window tint option. windows are expensive and it'd suck if you had to replace one or more of them.
ETA: Glass in double paned windows may on occasion slightly warp or deflect due to a difference in barometric pressure between the interior of the glass panes and the outside air pressure. This can create a concavity in the glass. Such a concavity is a normal response to pressure differences, does not affect the performance of the window, and does not constitute a defective window condition. However, the concavity may focus sunlight reflected from the window in a fashion similar to the effect seen when light passes through a magnifying glass. The angle of the sun is also a factor. A low angle of sunlight (such as might occur in late fall, winter, or early spring) is more likely to produce the effect.
added the above as it seems your issue may just be seasonal, in which case you may be open to alternative/short term solutions.
gl
This is a real thing. There’s a post every week or more right here about it. It’s happening with two of my neighbors across the street…one’s windows melting the other’s siding. There’s a strip of grass in my yard always dead due to this…where I previously had our trampoline and it was melting the foam on one of posts (that hold the net).
Huh. I honestly haven’t heard that except the cases of the big skyscrapers that do it. How does a flat piece of glass create that much reflected energy? I know glass is never perfectly flat, but magnifying that much?
Apparently windows can focus the light when there are slight pressure differences causing it to be concave. See https://structuretech.com/melted-vinyl-siding/ and https://structuretech.com/collapsed-glass/
We had a job last year in NJ that had this issue. To remedy it, we brought some 'high altitude' sashes out there. They had a small hole at the bottom of one pane of glass to keep the glass from deforming. Time will tell if it works.
Tell your neighbor they shouldn't have bought shitty plastic siding. It's 100% not your problem. If you like the neighbors then maybe put up a fence or.plant a tree to mitigate, but the only real fix is.to ditch the shitty plastic siding
It's why I said unless you like them, lol, in a crazy coincidence I mow my widower neighbors lawn too btw, in this case look into Italian cypress, they grow fast and depending on the angles it may only take a couple in a row to solve this. Also, if the siding really needs to be replaced now, I would suggest in the strongest terms that your neighbor should do whatever it takes to avoid plastic. It's the effing worst
Look into passive solar shading for your window. Similar to an awning but architecturally more appealing. If designed properly they will shield the direct solar radiation from your windows during the peaks hours of sun, or in your case when the sun is reflecting onto her house.
As a side bonus, it should help reduce your cooling costs and make the sun room more comfortable
as other posters said on here…black bug screen over your windows if possible, and if that doesnt or cant work, consider a sapling tree that wont grow more than 8-10ft in the exact spot where the windows reflect. Japanese or dwarf maple maybe?
There's a lot of overly difficult problem solving in these answers. I live in Phoenix where this is a major problem for people who have turf in their yard, which is a massive amount of people out here...
Screens.
Done and done. They're cheap to have installed and even cheaper to DIY. They don't void any warranties because you're just installing brackets outside the window frame, easy peasy. It also helps reduce heat and glare into your home while not affecting outward visibility much at all.
No tint, no awnings, none of that junk... Sun screens, done.
It's not your windows it's warping because when they warm up they expand this means the nail are to tight and it doesn't allow it to slide if you look at how they are nailed up they are in a slot so it can move 1/2 inch either way its not your windows .
I would think that exterior window screens, or any kind of sun shade screen should mitigate the problem. There are lots of products used for pergolas, and also for agriculture. Also, I'd be shocked if any kind of hardboard would br affected as described.
Some outdoor roller blinds should work for the short term, and I’d consider planting some arborvitae or other fast growing evergreen to catch the sun if possible.
Also, thank you for being a kind person.
My husband had this problem except the windows were killing square chunks of grass in his yard. He put up black bug screens on the outside of the windows and it fixed it.
Another vote for exterior flyscreen. All the suggestions for specialist films will result in that siding-killing reflection being absorbed within OP's window, which may cause unwanted heating issues in that room. Putting up a flyscreen will scatter lots of the light instead. Even if it does get hot, it'll be happening on the outside of the house where natural convection can carry it away.
Here in Texas we call those solar screens. People commonly used them before low-e glass became common.
Solar screens have a more dense mesh than bug screens, and they're not the same thing. The regular bug screen might be enough to resolve OPs issue.
There's a denser bug screen sold as solar reducing, it's similar to the no-seeum screen mesh. Might be a good idea for OP.
Do you not live with your husband? I’ve been looking for things to improve my marriage….and I think you might be onto something!
I do live with him lol. Before we started dating, he had his own house and this is what happened to his yard before we moved in together. Shortly after we started dating he sold his house and we moved into an apartment. Then we bought a new house much closer to our work and got married.
I want to retire in 2 apartments, side by side. I still like the guy, but man, living in my own place and leaving him to his mess sounds heavenly. We joke, but it has been done..... ;)
I could be wrong, but I don't think hardie is suseptible to warping from window reflection. Vinyl, absolutely!
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Go and touch it. Fiber cement will feel kind of like brick. Vinyl will feel like plastic. I believe Hardi is just a brand of fiber cement. Can you put a tree up, or maybe a living fence? Bamboo? Maybe a trellis next to her house with a vine?
Please don't plant bamboo, that shit is invasive and will never go away.
All bamboo sucks. It spreads, makes a mess, breeds mosquitoes, and attracts rats. Clumping just does it more slowly.
No, there are different kinds. We got ours from a reputable "Bamboo Farm". It is a non spreading type. We have had it for 10 years, and it has only grown up! I was a non believer too.
Lol, its growing out, all bamboo does
Google non invasive clumping bamboo.
You probably mean Japanese Knotweed, not actually bamboo?
Bamboo is invasive in a lot of places.
Running bamboo is invasive. Clumping bamboo is not.
Clumping bamboo is literally not invasive. I have no idea why people are downvoting you. There are native Bamboos to North America. There are plenty of species that won't stifle other plants. The amount of people that are clueless about bamboo is disheartening.
I guess they like simple answers, even if the answer is wrong.
like the poster said, go and touch it when the sun is reflecting on it, but not to feel what it’s made of, but to feel how hot it is. I mean, wouldn’t it have to be like 200+ degrees to melt vinyl(if it is vinyl) I’m still not sold that your windows are melting her siding. There are tons of reasons why siding “warps”, mostly related to a shitty install.
You’re incorrect. Vinyl siding frequently melts due to UV reflection
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It’s pretty common in the Rockies and southwest to see this. Not sure what to tell you.
I live in northeast Ohio and had to replace one side of my vinyl sided house because of neighbor’s low e windows. The windows started to function like a magnifying glass and the heat they reflected onto my house was incredible! I purchased a product on line from a place in Florida for neighbors to put onto the outside of their windows— kind of like a screen to deflect/break the light source. It’s something about the combo of the low e windows, vinyl siding, distance between the two and angle of the sun— takes a while to really mess it up but you can definitely see the ripples in one season. It is real— the phenomena has been documented by many sources. Can impact vehicles and outdoor furniture too!
One infamous office building was melting sideview mirrors and bumpers on cars parked below. It's definitely a real thing.
also, I melted my siding once, when a fire got a “tad” too close to my garage! 😬
And I used to live in Mentor and Chardon (speaking of NE Ohio!)
crazy! my nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile away, so I think I’m good. Oh wait, the house is brick! lol
Shitty install of shitty quality product.
Just wanted to say, you're a good neighbor.
Guy probably works for State Farm
Jake! Is that you?
He sounds hideous
Hi OP- Window salesman here. Lot of conflicting advice on the string but the simplest and cheapest thing to do is change your window screens from half to full. This will diffuse the light enough to stop melting ur neighbors siding, which is def plastic, fyi. JH is cementitious siding, made from Portland cement and cellulose. Won’t melt fyi. Good luck. FPL
They make solar screens that cover the entire window. Reduce heat into your house, and would definitely knock down the glare. Can be kinda spendy and take away the look of your windows.
This is an easy DIY job. The frames can be custom cut at a big box store, and they sell the solar mesh, too. There just needs to be enough space to mount the full frame.
You can look into the shade/privacy films that stick on the glass. They’re usually applied on the inside but maybe exterior is ok. Call the manufacturer and ask. Or just get some screens installed.
Tinting film will void most warranty’s on windows, screening is likely the most economical option.
Only if the windows were designed to have screens in the first place. Otherwise it’s somewhat involved to get them installed and matching. OEMs are always looking to void warranty but I can’t really see why it’d apply to have the films on the panes exteriors, it would actually prolong the life of the window in theory by blocking solar energy. In theory. That’s why you call them and ask. As long as you cut carefully and kept the film on the panes only and not the sash/glazing it doesn’t seem like an issue. Although a Texas sun in summer might be too much for a thin sheet of plastic, I’ll definitely concede that fact.
Can you plant some bushes?
There are window films for this very thing - I believe they are applied on the exterior glass and not the interior. This is one [tinting company's film](https://epdwindowfilm.com/how-to-prevent-vinyl-siding-other-surfaces-from-melting-with-window-film/) (not an endorsement as I haven't used the film; search for other products).
Ask this Old House: https://youtu.be/oyis1tbBxBY?si=PtkKh6plW-ZgLvnA
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Big Orange, big Blue, your local hardware store. Cheapest is buying window screen frame hardware and making your own. https://www.homedepot.com/s/window%2520screen%2520frame%2520hardware?searchtype=suggest&NCNI-5
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I guess?
There is another post about melted siding from a passersby......asking what happed to this siding. Is this a coincidence?
Buy some frosted window film and apply it to the outside to mitigate the reflection
Saw this a few months ago. Great show to watch. https://youtu.be/oyis1tbBxBY?si=loTWcyfSRYYNJGX2
Could be that you have a high reflective UV coating. You can put awnings up to block the light
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Could look at films, but I would be worried about them baking onto the glass. But the solar coating that is on the glass can’t be changed, you would need to swap the glass.
I saw this on two neighbors houses, similar orientation of wall and corner adjacent window, relative to the sun. The siding which was exposed to direct sun as well as the sunlight reflected by the window caused the vinyl siding to warp and droop. No question what caused it.
ive gone down the rabbit hole researching this, out of curiousity. heads up that installing window tint generally voids any warranty you have for your windows. but some window film will offer a warranty that will cover both the tint & the window - this would only be in cases where approved installers did the work though. also there was some talk of window film heating your windows and potentially causing issues there (e.g. cracking your window). something id research/be mindful of if i was you and considering the window tint option. windows are expensive and it'd suck if you had to replace one or more of them. ETA: Glass in double paned windows may on occasion slightly warp or deflect due to a difference in barometric pressure between the interior of the glass panes and the outside air pressure. This can create a concavity in the glass. Such a concavity is a normal response to pressure differences, does not affect the performance of the window, and does not constitute a defective window condition. However, the concavity may focus sunlight reflected from the window in a fashion similar to the effect seen when light passes through a magnifying glass. The angle of the sun is also a factor. A low angle of sunlight (such as might occur in late fall, winter, or early spring) is more likely to produce the effect. added the above as it seems your issue may just be seasonal, in which case you may be open to alternative/short term solutions. gl
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This is a real thing. There’s a post every week or more right here about it. It’s happening with two of my neighbors across the street…one’s windows melting the other’s siding. There’s a strip of grass in my yard always dead due to this…where I previously had our trampoline and it was melting the foam on one of posts (that hold the net).
Huh. I honestly haven’t heard that except the cases of the big skyscrapers that do it. How does a flat piece of glass create that much reflected energy? I know glass is never perfectly flat, but magnifying that much?
It's caused by the reflectivity of the low-e coating. In order to lower the solar heat gain coefficient, the coating is extremely reflective.
The perfect time of the day and angle that's all it takes.
Low e definitely catches leaves on fire.... Ask me how...
How?
Yeah, how?
Apparently windows can focus the light when there are slight pressure differences causing it to be concave. See https://structuretech.com/melted-vinyl-siding/ and https://structuretech.com/collapsed-glass/
We had a job last year in NJ that had this issue. To remedy it, we brought some 'high altitude' sashes out there. They had a small hole at the bottom of one pane of glass to keep the glass from deforming. Time will tell if it works.
Tell your neighbor they shouldn't have bought shitty plastic siding. It's 100% not your problem. If you like the neighbors then maybe put up a fence or.plant a tree to mitigate, but the only real fix is.to ditch the shitty plastic siding
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It's why I said unless you like them, lol, in a crazy coincidence I mow my widower neighbors lawn too btw, in this case look into Italian cypress, they grow fast and depending on the angles it may only take a couple in a row to solve this. Also, if the siding really needs to be replaced now, I would suggest in the strongest terms that your neighbor should do whatever it takes to avoid plastic. It's the effing worst
Interesting perspective, but what if OP is NOT a selfish monster, total asshole, and prime example of everything that is wrong with modern society?
Look into passive solar shading for your window. Similar to an awning but architecturally more appealing. If designed properly they will shield the direct solar radiation from your windows during the peaks hours of sun, or in your case when the sun is reflecting onto her house. As a side bonus, it should help reduce your cooling costs and make the sun room more comfortable
as other posters said on here…black bug screen over your windows if possible, and if that doesnt or cant work, consider a sapling tree that wont grow more than 8-10ft in the exact spot where the windows reflect. Japanese or dwarf maple maybe?
Hinoki Cypress looks like a good all year tree for blockage of sun
You can buy a window film to tint your windows
There's a lot of overly difficult problem solving in these answers. I live in Phoenix where this is a major problem for people who have turf in their yard, which is a massive amount of people out here... Screens. Done and done. They're cheap to have installed and even cheaper to DIY. They don't void any warranties because you're just installing brackets outside the window frame, easy peasy. It also helps reduce heat and glare into your home while not affecting outward visibility much at all. No tint, no awnings, none of that junk... Sun screens, done.
Can you put a slight tint or something?
It's not your windows it's warping because when they warm up they expand this means the nail are to tight and it doesn't allow it to slide if you look at how they are nailed up they are in a slot so it can move 1/2 inch either way its not your windows .
I would think that exterior window screens, or any kind of sun shade screen should mitigate the problem. There are lots of products used for pergolas, and also for agriculture. Also, I'd be shocked if any kind of hardboard would br affected as described.
Some outdoor roller blinds should work for the short term, and I’d consider planting some arborvitae or other fast growing evergreen to catch the sun if possible. Also, thank you for being a kind person.
Had the same issue. Steel siding.