My house is a little over a year old; it has vinyl siding over a combination of wood sheathing and foam sheathing. The back of the house faces south and as the sun hits and warms each section it sounds like I’m living in a bag of popcorn popping in the microwave. I realize the noise is due to expansion and contraction but should it be so loud and consistent? Seriously, it’s a constant pop, pop, crack, pop, crack, etc….. If this is not normal can someone tell me what needs to be done to correct it (my year warranty is approaching). If it is normal, will this last forever? My previous home was brick, and very quiet. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: delmond,

It sounds like the siding may have been nailed too tightly. Vinyl siding is "hung", not nailed on. When the sun hits it and it starts to expand, it clicks as it tries to push under the overtightened nails. It is often worse in the winter when temperatures vary more. Vinyl siding can expand and contract a great deal. It may loosen up after a while. Try pressing against a few pieces with the palm of your hand and see if you can wiggle them side to side at all. Also, on a moderate day you should have some gap at the ends of the sheets where they end behind "J" channels or box corners. If there is no gap, there is no place for the siding to go when it expands. The longer the sheet, the more room it needs obviously. Another thing, if it has no place to move, look for waves or ripples in the sheets. A small amount of clicking is not uncommon. The siding on my own home has been on for 20 years and is definateley not over nailed, but it still clicks occaisionally. Hope that helps.

Indeed, it's been much noisier this winter than it was during the summer. Your explanation helps tremendously, thank you very much.