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Throughout the lifetime of a house with vinyl siding, there is certain upkeep and maintenance that should be done to keep it performing optimally as the exterior of your home. While most homeowners are not aware of what this maintenance actually should be, this is one of the things that will be addressed in this article, as well as how you can save on some of the repairs and replacements that you might encounter throughout the life of your current vinyl siding.

You are never going to see the potential problems that your vinyl siding has if you aren’t actively looking for them. Unless of course the siding fails completely and begins to fall off. You can prevent this however with an annual thorough inspection of your siding. You are looking for things that seem out of place or don’t look quite right. Warped pieces, cupping, swelling, areas that seem thicker or thinner than they should be. These are all symptoms of a problem that could require your attention before things get worse. As is the case with all preventative maintenance: a little money now can save a lot of money in the future.

It is customary over time to start to see divots and sunken areas over the panels of your siding. It is a common misconception to fill these areas in with caulking and paint over them. While older siding can be painted with a quality exterior paint, this paint will inevitably fade into a flat sheen. This will cause the areas that you have caulked to stand out like a sore thumb as shiny spots all over the house where you have patched. Instead, use spackle. While sparkle might initially look a little dull in the areas you patched, once you have painted over it, as the paint fades into its naturally flat sheen, the entire house will be blended together.

For siding showing signs of aging, it is important to fill in these divots and sunken areas with spackling and paint to preserve its longevity. For one reason, it will correct the issues that are occurring throughout the exterior of the house. Secondly, it will strengthen your entire exterior to continue functioning normally for years to come. Lastly, it will prevent you from having to completely replace the siding once as problems will only continue to get worse.

If you are looking at a complete replacement of a portion of your siding, then you have a few things that you should keep in mind.

You should refrain from just replacing one or two problem panels and moving on. For aesthetics and overall functionality, the entire area in between end moldings should be replaced at the same time.

Since during this time you will have the walls exposed, it might be a good time to inspect the wood underneath for any weather damage or compromising places and replace those accordingly.

Underneath the new vinyl, tack on a vapor barrier. This prevents moisture and wind from getting in the house through the siding, but also allows the house to breath.

These are a few things to consider when it comes to repairing and replacing vinyl siding. The general idea is to help you to catch potential problems before replacement becomes a necessity. With regular inspections and proper maintenance, you may never have to replace the siding on your home.

If you are interested in vinyl siding repair or replacement, give us a call for a free estimate. Our remodeling contractors are some of the best in the industry. We can get your home in tip top shape in a very short time.