Rainscreen Siding Problems

Air enters behind water table and exits through gap above top trim piece.

Rainscreen siding problems.

Air flows behind siding in continuous airspace of rainscreen drain plane. Other builders use natural materials but omit a rainscreen which can lead to premature failure. Rainscreens increase the durability of the siding cladding and the exterior walls behind them. Trapped moisture from driving rain or condensation can cause major problems.

Sv 3 rainscreen siding vent a simple effective solution for rainscreen ventilation behind wood hardboard fiber cement siding. Venting behind your siding is just as necessary and valuable as venting your attic. It should be pretty obvious that using composites or pvc could create numerous problems in rainscreen siding applications. For a clean finish the bottom of the foam will need trim anyways a piece of custom bent up perforated j trim is not that much.

Rainscreen exterior wall construction. Alternative products like pactiv s raindrop 3d do not show that same tendency. Some attribute energy savings to rainscreens but if your wall is so thermally weak that it benefits from a rainscreen there should probably be a re evaluation of the air sealing and insulation strategies. They also come with a higher carbon footprint than those from renewable resources.

Drip edge flashing installed over rainscreen mat to allow an un interrupted drain plane behind the siding. Once it makes it s way past the water barriers it can be absorbed into the wooden framing of your home. Expansion gaps of 1 4 would need to be designed in at least every 12. Although mentioned in a previous write up the hydrogap product has small bumps on it that actually compress under lap siding if nailed too tightly thus defeating their purpose.

Wood is clearly the best choice for rainscreen siding. What every homeowner needs to know while homes are made to get wet occasionally excessive amounts of water such as during rainy seasons can cause problems if it seeps past the home s siding and vapor wrap. It comes in at under a buck a linear foot. A rainscreen is a system of materials used to create a gap between the siding and the water resistive barrier wrb.