Thread: New member with Fiber Cement siding crack damage question

Good Fathers day to all Fathers out there!

I have recently taken the National Home Inspection Examination and I am going to start a home inspection business.

Recently, I was inspecting my brother in-laws house, and I found cracks in the cement siding that were below 3 of the windows on the exterior. They were directed at a 45 degree angle downward from horizontal and about 2 to 3 inches in length. There is no damage on the interior of the house in the drywall next to the window trim on these windows.

The house was renovated 3 years ago (originally built in 1940's), and the siding is 3 years old. I was wondering if this was damage caused by framing or foundation shifting?

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Hi Richard Whitmer and welcome to InspectionNews!

I'm Brian Hannigan and I created InspectionNews.

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If I can help you in any way just let me know.

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Welcome Richard,

Photos speak a thousand words….. If you have a photo they help tremendously with questions like this and I'm sure if you had taken one you would have posted it…. Anyway, my SWAG is that the cracks are related to the installation of the cementitious siding. Seeing the same issue under three different windows would lead me to think that it has to do with the installation, but this is only a guess...

I don't see much fiber cement siding in my area. Agree that photos are important to getting a proper answer. Certainly not likely to be a foundation issue. My guess is that they cut the siding with a 90 degree inside corner. An inside corner creates stress concentrations and cracks tend to develop there. Typical expansion/contraction of the siding could cause the cracks to develop. There should be a gap between the siding and the windows to allow for movement.

Originally Posted by Richard Whitmer

Good Fathers day to all Fathers out there! I have recently taken the National Home Inspection Examination and I am going to start a home inspection business.
Recently, I was inspecting my brother in-laws house, and I found cracks in the cement siding that were below 3 of the windows on the exterior. They were directed at a 45 degree angle downward from horizontal and about 2 to 3 inches in length. There is no damage on the interior of the house in the drywall next to the window trim on these windows.
The house was renovated 3 years ago (originally built in 1940's), and the siding is 3 years old. I was wondering if this was damage caused by framing or foundation shifting?

Richard,

Many installers do not read or understand the installation instructions of the manufactured sidings that are out today. As Mark said, expansion space is necessary for these sidings and if it isn't there, movement will cause cracks. Still, guessing here. I'm with Scott. Please post a pic.

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Richard,

Many installers do not read or understand the installation instructions of the manufactured sidings that are out today. As Mark said, expansion space is necessary for these sidings and if it isn't there, movement will cause cracks. Still, guessing here. I'm with Scott. Please post a pic.

Here are the pictures of the cement siding underneath the windows cracking. Please let me know if you think this is just an installation issue.

Thanks!

A bit difficult to tell from the pic. Would be helpful to be a little more to the right where we could see the siding/trim connection.