In article , "Pete C." wrote:
Doug Miller wrote:

*What* signs?

* More damage to the Tyvek wrap than the siding.

Have you actually looked at the photos?

* Extra nail visible in the sheathing in the suspect area.

Yep, nails start invisible fires all the time.

* Four electrical boxes surrounding the suspect area.

And yet *no* evidence of any electrical fires visible anywhere.



Look, I'm not saying that he absolutely shouldn't open up the wall -- just
saying that he should look at the back side of the vinyl siding first,
which
he does not appear to have done. Somebody asked him a couple days ago what
the
back side of it looked like; as far as I can tell, he hasn't answered that
question yet.

And I've noted that looking at the back of the siding is not likely to
show any discoloration since it was not exposed to direct flame, it was
exposed to moderate heat, heat that will deform the vinyl siding well
before it discolors it.

Still waiting for your explanation of how your magic heat source discolors the
vinyl siding on the surface *away* from the heat, but not on the surface
*toward* it...

I never made any such claim. You are the only one who ever suggested
there would be discoloration on the siding.

False. You wrote:

"Heat coming through the sheathing could very
easily build to the level required to soften and deform the vinyl siding
without discoloring the back side."

The siding is visibly discolored; no suggestion is necessary. And I was not
the first to suggest that the OP should check for discoloration on the back
side, either.


Suggest you go to your local building supply place and get a sample of
vinyl siding and a piece of OSB. Place the siding on top of the OSB in
your oven and start baking it at the lowest temp, say 150-170 degrees.
When the siding starts to sag check the back for any discoloration.

That "test" obviously doesn't even come close to replicating the conditions
you believe to exist. Here's a better one: place the siding on top of the OSB,
outdoors, and then build a wood fire underneath the OSB. When the surface of
the vinyl siding *away* from the heat source begins to discolor, examine the
surface of the siding *toward* the heat source, *and* the OSB, for signs of
damage. Go ahead -- try it. Then tell us what you find.

Try applying Tyvek and vinyl siding onto the OSB and then torch the OSB
from the back until the vinyl deforms.

OK, fine, conduct the test that way. Get back to us and let us know what you
find out.

Again, you are the only one who
has made any claims of discoloration on the vinyl siding.

Look at the OP's original photo. It's visibly discolored.




It's also been suggested to the OP that he perform a test on a scrap of
siding, to see if the stain and the solvent he used will produce similar
damage. He hasn't yet reported results of that test, either.

The solvent use in question was many months ago, and the damage to the
siding was obvious enough that it is very unlikely it went unnoticed all
those months.

Yet you don't find it unlikely at all that a heat source inside the wall would
discolor the surface of the vinyl siding *away* from the heat source, while
leaving the surface *toward* the heat source undisturbed.

Where is this magic discoloration on the surface of the vinyl siding you
claim? The OP's photos do not show any discoloration on the vinyl
siding.

Wow. You are so firmly fixated on your idea that it simply *must* be due to a
heat source inside the wall that you can't even see what's right in front of
you.

Go look at the original photo posted by the OP -- for the first time, since
it's plain you haven't seen it before -- and you'll see that discoloration.


Doesn't say much for your ability to evaluate what's likely or unlikely.

Doesn't say much for your reading comprehension or visual acuity.

Ummm... *I'm* not the one who's unable to see clearly visible discoloration on
the siding.
[snip]
Where is this discoloration you claim? The OP's photo
(http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Squisher/IMG_6627.JPG) does not show any
such discoloration.

It certainly does. Better have your eyes checked, Petey.

If you can't differentiate a shadow from
discoloration, that's your problem.

"Shadow" ??? ROTFLMAO!


The same "objective" analysis of the damage apparent on the successive
layers,
namely, severe damage to the siding (outermost), slight damage to the Tyvek
(next inside), no damage evident on the OSB (innermost of the three visible),
also led you to conclude that the damage was caused by a heat source INterior
to the home. Right, a heat source INside the wall causes the greatest damage
on the OUTside, and the closer you get to the heat source, the less damage is
apparent.

Your analysis of the damage is seriously flawed. The damage to the
Tyvek, namely shrinkage and melting to the point of holes forming, is
significantly greater than the damage to the vinyl siding, namely
softening and sagging.


Phooey. You *began* with the assumption of an internal heat source, and you're
inventing explanations for it, in the absence of any clear evidence.

I've noted plenty of evidence to support an internal heat source,

You haven't noted any evidence at all, Pete, just a bunch of assumptions.

you've
not noted any evidence to back your claims and indeed you have
fabricated claims not supported by anything the OP has posted.

"Fabricated claims"?? You mean like noting the same discoloration that other
posters have noted as well, the same PLAINLY OBVIOUS discoloration that you
are for some reason unable to discern?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.