Regarding the original query
"Vinyl siding damages the underlying house."

Is this one of those things we just "know" (like "man cannot fly") or is
there real testing or sustained observational data which supports it?

Heidi replies (along with others):
>  There is observational data which supports it, mainly dealing with moisture
>  control, replacement costs, durability issues....
>  The National Park Service Preservation Brief #8 .....
>   <A HREF="http://www.historichomeworks.com/HHW/pbriefs/pb08.htm">Brief 08:
>  Aluminum and Vinyl Siding</A>
>  -ONEcat, on a cedar shake roof

Heidi, in the Brief cited, I see no hard observational data or case study
references for the famous claim that "trapped moisture rots the underlying
wood".  I agree that hacking off details for a crummy siding job is not so
good, and that siding is no fun to look at, but after decades of vinyl siding
installation, where is the hard evidence?  I don't doubt it exists, but I'd
like to see it.

Christopher Gray
Office for Metropolitan History
246 West 80th Street, #8, NYC  10024
212-799-0520  fax -0542
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