Vinyl siding is a popular home exterior across the country. It’s durable and easy to maintain, and it comes in a variety of colors to allow you to truly personalize the look of your home. But even if you take good care of your siding, over the years it can deteriorate and eventually need a complete repair or replacement.
If you’ve lived in your home for more than a decade and haven’t had your vinyl siding replaced yet, it might be time to take a closer look. In some cases, you can get away with replacing only a few panels. In other cases, you will want to replace the entire facade of your home. Total replacement isn’t cheap, but rest assured that the cost will go towards improving your home’s appearance and long-term durability.
Signs that vinyl siding needs to be replaced include:
- Deformed or broken panels: Siding panels that are no longer flat against your home are not doing their job of protecting you from the elements. The siding can bend and break due to strong winds coming under the seams, due to age, or due to flying debris such as a fallen tree branch or a hard hit from a baseball. Bent and cracked vinyl siding panels cannot be reformed, so whether the problem is in one location or widespread, you will need to contact a contractor to discuss siding replacement.
- Mold or fungus on the coating: If you see mold or mildew growing on the outside of your siding, you may have a moisture problem in that area of the building. Loose or warped siding may allow too much moisture to accumulate, and this scenario can have consequences beyond damage caused by mold growth. Bring in a siding contractor to examine the area, remove the damaged siding, and install new panels that will make your home waterproof once again.
- Indoor water or mold damage: Interior water damage – from wallpaper peeling to mold growth and water stains – can be a sign that the exterior siding is no longer doing its job. If you can, examine the exterior lining of the room with the moisture problem. Look for loose or broken panels that allow moisture to seep underneath. Place a screwdriver or other thin tool under the loose panels to feel how firm the bottom frame is; If it yields under gentle pressure, it’s time for a new siding and possibly a new exterior siding. A professional can assess the extent of the damage.
- Aesthetic problems: Even if you don’t have water damage or badly damaged panels, the old siding just doesn’t look as good as the new siding. Perhaps your liner is dented and dented. Maybe you once had white lining, but now it’s a dull gray. Maybe you chose a bright green 15 years ago and now you want a more neutral shade. A siding update can improve the appearance and increase the value of your home while protecting it for another decade or more!
You may not think about vinyl siding in your home regularly, apart from having to clean it from time to time, but you have a tough job to do. Siding should properly protect the structure of your home from the elements, while making a good impression on everyone who passes your home. Whether you’re considering siding replacement because you’ve noticed a problem, decades have passed since the siding was installed, or you just need a change, siding contractors can help you make a decision that works for your taste. , your budget and your functional needs.