2005-08-02

Why Tyvek isn't meant to be used as siding

I found out last night why Tyvek doesn't make a good siding material. In a windstorm, the flapping sound will drive you mad. In a heavy downpour you will swear that hailstones the size of softballs are hitting your house.
No picture today, yet, but the house is 100% wrapped in Tyvek. The contractors have been replacing some rotted boards at the sill plate -- hopefully this will block the drafts that leave my house at a nippy 55 F in the coldest of winter. During the first storm of last winter, my girlfriend noticed that snow was blowing into the basement through a gap in the front of the house. It's always been a bit cooler in that spot, but actually having snow blow in AND accumulate was the primary impetus for this project (ok, the fact that the siding had turned pink was the primary motivator, but accumulating snow in the basement is a close second.)

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