Siding in Daphne
Daphne sits on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, in Baldwin County. A house here needs siding that stays on in a hurricane, sheds hard Gulf rain and lets a wall dry out in a long, humid summer. Freezing weather is rare enough that wind and water, not cold, decide how long siding lasts.
The weather the wall has to handle
NOAA has no engineering weather station in Daphne. The nearest is at Mobile (Bates Field, elevation 220 feet), across the bay. Its figures describe the region, not measurements taken in Daphne:
- a 50-year basic wind speed of 130 mph, measured as a 3-second gust at 33 feet;
- a 100-year rainfall rate of 4.6 inches per hour;
- about 1,957 hours a year with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F, and about 3,780 hours above 67°F;
- no frost depth, and about 16 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year.
Wind
On September 16, 2020, Hurricane Sally made landfall at Gulf Shores with maximum sustained winds of 95 knots, a category 2 hurricane, and the National Hurricane Center reported damage to trees, power lines and buildings across Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Siding that blows off opens the wall to rain at the worst possible time.
Ask each bidder:
- what wind rating the siding product carries and what fastening schedule the manufacturer requires to reach it;
- what nails or screws they use, how far apart, and how far into the framing;
- how they secure the starter strip, corners and the top course under the eaves, where wind tends to peel siding first;
- how soffits and fascia will be fastened, since loose soffit panels let wind-driven rain into the attic.
Rain
With a 100-year rainfall rate of 4.6 inches per hour at Mobile, rain often comes sideways in a storm. The barrier behind the siding has to do real work. Ask about the water-resistive barrier and its seams, flashing above windows and doors, kick-out flashing where a roof edge meets a wall, and whether the wall has a drainage gap.
Humidity and drying
The Mobile station's humid-hour counts mean a damp wall stays damp. That's where mildew, rot behind the siding and peeling paint begin. Ask the contractor how the wall will dry if water does get in, how they'll seal the cut ends of fiber cement or engineered wood, and what they'll do about rotted sheathing found under the old siding.
Choosing a material
Vinyl, fiber cement and engineered wood are all used on the Gulf Coast. Compare them on wind rating, impact resistance from flying debris, paint needs and how each handles constant humidity. Ask for the manufacturer's installation instructions; the warranty and the wind rating usually depend on them.
Alabama's license threshold
In Alabama, building, remodeling or repairing a residence when the job costs more than $10,000 needs a license from the Home Builders Licensure Board. A limited license, which needs no exam, covers only a single-trade job contracted directly with the homeowner that does not affect the home's structural integrity; other jobs need an unlimited license, which requires passing skill and business-and-law exams.
A whole-house re-side, especially with sheathing or framing repair, can pass $10,000. Look the builder up with the Home Builders Licensure Board's license search before you sign, and check which kind of license they hold.
Insurance after a storm
If storm damage leads to a claim, contact your insurance company or agent first. If that fails, the Alabama Department of Insurance sends a complaint to the company, which must respond to it; the department reviews whether the company followed the policy terms. Its phone number is 334-241-4141.
Comparing bids
Ask each bidder for the same scope in writing: the product and its wind rating, fastening, removal of old siding, sheathing repair pricing, barrier, flashing, trim, soffit and fascia, paint, permit, cleanup and warranties. Compare line by line.