Common Problems That Home Owners Face with Siding

Whether it is cedar shakes siding or cement siding that you installed in your home, the problems peculiar to siding cannot be ignored. This is one of the reasons why you need to learn how to constantly maintain your siding to protect it from damages.

You need to keep your siding in excellent condition. Doing so will boost the worth of your property and will enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home.

We’ve put together this guide to assist homeowners to identify the common problems that are associated with sidings. When these problems are identified, prompt action can be taken to tackle them.

Problems Home Owners Face with Siding

Below are some of the common problems homeowners face with siding.

Damages and cracks

Siding materials are vulnerable to damages; they can be a small crack from an impact or a ripped off-panel during a hailstorm, rocks, impact of sports balls, and others. They all pose a threat to the value of your home’s sidings.

Hail storms can cause huge damage to a home, affecting the roof, gutter, and window, as well as the siding.

Vinyl siding is known for its durability, but it is the most vulnerable to damages. This is because the material is very thin. Fortunately, it is very easy to repair and replace.

For smaller holes and cracks, the only thing you might need to use is a patch kit. Simply follow patch kit instructions on how to use it in sealing holes. To hide the patch on a siding, that is, to make it hardly visible to the naked eyes, paint it to be the same color as your siding.

Peeled off or faded siding paint

Everyone likes a home with a beautiful appearance. Painting is one of the factors that can make a home look attractive. However, paints wear off with time. This can affect the siding and the aesthetic appeal of your home.

Faded paint can also affect the worth or resale value of your home. So, make sure you repaint your home's siding before inviting buyers. Repainting your exterior when you want to sell your home will boost the resale value of the home.

One of the best ways of maintaining a siding is by applying fresh paint; it helps to extend the shelf life of the siding and retains the curb appeal.

Before the new paint is applied, the old one is first scraped off. The newly applied paint will brighten up your home's appearance and will also seal off any open areas.

Noisy siding

Creaks, rattles, and pops of sidings are usually the result of poor installation. Vinyl siding is attached against the side of the house such that it leaves space for expansion and contraction due to temperature fluctuations.

If your siding is tightly nailed to the house, you’ll likely hear pops and cracks as the sidings struggle to expand. Rattles are heard when there is a strong wind blowing against the siding that is loosely hung against the house.

Contacting a professional who majorly deals in siding installation is one of the safest ways to avoid this problem.

Pest infestation

The majority of homeowners prefer using wood as a material for siding. However, wood is a food source for termites, beetles, bees, pests, and ants. Damages caused by pests occur from deep inside the wood and may remain invisible on the exterior surface for a long time.

Because of the reason mentioned above, you need to conduct inspections regularly. Regular inspections will help you notice any pest actions on your siding so you can take action immediately.

Change in shape or deformation

The change in shape or deformation of a siding is another common problem most homeowners experience with siding. This problem occurs majorly due to poor installation.

Sidings, especially vinyl sidings, must be hung on the house sides to give enough space for expansion and contraction, and fluctuations in temperatures.

If your siding is tightly installed against the house, it may not have enough space to expand, resulting in the deformation of its shape.

Moisture issues

Moisture is another major enemy of a house’s exterior surface, and this is the reason why we make use of siding to protect it. If you discover signs of moisture damage such as softening or rotting of the boards on wood siding, make sure you try to fix the issue immediately.

If a siding is affected by moisture, the damage caused can easily expand to the home’s frame and walls. If there are multiple leaks in a home, as a result of the moisture damage to the siding, the repair needed may be extensive and expensive.

Damage caused by moisture can be fixed by simply removing and replacing the rotted area and installing a new board. Regular maintenance of sidings, yearly inspections, and adequate drainage from your roof will aid the prevention of moisture damage to your siding.

Bad installation

Bad installation is another common problem homeowners face with siding. The improper fixing of sidings reduces its lifespan. So, do enough research and get good contractors that will install your siding properly.

You can ask around your neighborhood, talk to families or friends, and see who they will recommend for the job. Make sure you check out previous jobs done by the recommended contractor before giving them your home’s project.

Conclusion

The issues mentioned above are some of the common problems homeowners face with sidings. If you’ve been experiencing any or some of these problems, know for sure that it is not unique to you alone. Most homeowners face these same problems.

Siding maintenance is an important part of a home’s maintenance. Regularly inspect your home’s sidings and fix any issues observed immediately. When you fix the issues early, you are preventing the conditions from deteriorating. Therefore you will spend less on repairs.