New siding is a major investment. A reputable dealer is an important part of the selection process. Be sure to evaluate all options such as why it's needed, affordability and whether to hire a professional to install it. Selecting siding for your house is like choosing any item with many choices. There are many lines of siding to choose between. Siding must be durably attractive and affordable. At first it may seem color is the most important choice to make. Other important aspects to consider include style, performance, value, gauge, grain and profile.

Bad Siding
by John Pawlak

Many buildings constructed in the 1980s and 1990s used exterior hardboard siding, often made of compressed wood fiber, wax, resin, and wood chips. When properly produced, this siding can be an effective means of protecting a home or other structure from weather damage. However, if improperly manufactured, bad siding can deteriorate and cause serious damage from buckling, rotting, softening, blistering, and severe swelling. This faulty siding can result in indoor leaks, mildew and toxic mold, warped wall studs, and cracked exterior stucco and paint.

By its nature, hardboard siding swells after absorbing water.
When sealed and diligently maintained with paint or caulk, this swelling can be contained at a safe level. However, paint and caulk is still only a stop gap method of curtailing damage.
Without replacement, bad siding will cause structural problems in the future. Ideally, substandard hardboard siding should be replaced by a reliable alternative such as vinyl siding.

Masonite was a leading manufacturer of defective hardboard siding. Not all buildings that used Masonite's bad siding had it replaced. It remains possible that your home could have unseen damage. If your house was built in the '80s or '90s, with Masonite siding installed between 1990 and 1998, you may qualify for a class action lawsuit cash settlement. Claimsource One has recovered more than $15 million for property owners and can help you determine whether you qualify for this suit with an on-site inspection by an insured, experienced field technician

About the author:
John Pawlak is the President of Claimsource One, Inc., the leading defective home siding claims processor in the US. The company can be found online at
http://www.claimsourceone.com Claimsource One has recovered over $45 Million for homeowners.