Just as the shingles protect your roof, the siding protects your walls. This makes them a vital element of your house, so they need proper maintenance. A lot can go wrong with your siding, but you can prevent it with some simple maintenance. Let’s take a look.
1. Pests
These can heavily damage the integrity of your siding and get into the structure of your house. This is mostly only true with wooden siding, as bugs like to hide inside. Thus, bugs attract woodpeckers, and these animals will damage the siding even more. Furthermore, other bugs such as termites and powder post beetles love eating wood. To avoid this problem, you can either regularly use pesticides or hot water to get rid of them or upgrade to concrete siding, and it attracts fewer pests.
2. Moisture
Moisture is a silent problem, and it’s especially bad if it’s in your siding because most are supposed to keep it out. Moisture can also damage the infrastructure and promote the growth of mold. If you see your siding is warping, you’ll know it’s time to replace it.
3. Neglect
Low maintenance doesn’t mean neglect, but you have to do it regularly to your siding and your entire house. Try to schedule maintenance checks with your siding contractor in advance to prevent this problem. Don’t hesitate to call them if you notice anything off between checks.
4. Bad Installation
Always do your homework and make sure you find a reliable contractor before getting your siding installed. You can ask your friends and family for recommendations or read some reviews. Follow your instincts, and don’t be scared to ask for references or a warranty on their work. Communication between you and the contractor is really important.
5. Old Roof
If your roof or shingles are in bad shape, water can leak into your siding, causing the moisture problems mentioned above. Regular maintenance and replacement of your shingles can turn this issue into a non-issue.
6. Weather
Depending on where you live, the weather will take a big toll on your siding. For example, extreme weather like hail could make some dents on it. Another problem happens when water gets into the small cracks and freezes. The expansion will cause a lot of damage to your siding. Thus, schedule an inspection with your contractor after any major weather event. They should be able to tell you if there’s any damage you might not be able to see and give you recommendations.
7. Fading
If you live in a sunny area, the sunlight will start to fade the siding of your house. There’s not much you can do to resolve this, except plant trees around it. While technology is getting better and siding is resistant to fading, it’s still not perfect. Just consider repainting if you start to notice this problem.
8. Noisy Siding
This is a result of problem number four and happens when the wind passes by your house across the siding. The sound will be loud if installed too tightly as it doesn’t allow for the natural expansion and contraction required by wood. If this is the case, contact your contractor to get them to loosen it.
Wooden siding comes along with a variety of problems, but that shouldn’t stop you from having them. All you need is routine maintenance and inspection in order to get the most out of your siding. Knowing about these problems and how to fix them will help you maintain your home value and greatly increase your quality of life. When you’re ready to install your siding, get in touch with Bay State Exteriors for a free consultation!