$104 Million Settlement Reached in CertainTeed MDL

CertainTeed Corp. must pay $104 million in damages after a federal judge on Thursday approved a proposed settlement between the home siding company and consumers who claimed the company’s fiber cement siding was defective and prone to premature degradation.

The suits claimed that the company failed to adequately design and test its products.

In 2010, numerous class action suits were filed across the country against CertainTeed, and in 2011, the suits were consolidated by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation and transferred to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Although the company has previously advertised their products as durable, long-lasting, and appropriate for use on homes, many consumers claimed otherwise. One complaint cited shrinking, cracking, and warping as issues related to CertainTeed’s siding, as well as problems with paint adhesion and moisture absorption. Another plaintiff claimed he noticed large gaps forming between siding boards.

The allegedly defective products include CertainTeed’s Weatherboards Fiber Cement Siding, Lap Siding, Vertical Siding, Shapes, Soffit, Porch Ceiling, and 7/16” Trim. The suits claimed that the company failed to adequately design and test its products before releasing them to the market.

Property owners affected by the defective siding will have access to the settlement fund over a six-year claims period, where cash payments will be processed based on the size of the affected wall and the extent of siding failure. Therefore, customers who experienced greater repair costs, as a result of a larger wall or more complex siding, will receive proportionately more than those with a smaller section of siding.