Like anything in your home, siding needs routine maintenance in order to stay in good condition and last as long as possible. Maintaining your siding is especially important due to the fact that your siding is constantly exposed to the elements. From UV rays to rain to trees brushing against it and more, there’s a lot that can dirty your siding.
Depending on the type of siding that you have, maintenance will vary. Wood siding is the most high maintenance while people often think of vinyl siding as maintenance-free, due to how easy it is to take care of. Here’s what you need to know about maintaining your siding so that you can keep it beautiful and functional for as long as possible.
Maintaining Wood Siding
Let’s start off with the highest maintenance type of siding. You’ll need to restain or refinish your wood siding approximately every 5 years. Depending on the environment where you live, you may need to do this sooner or later. This is so that your siding stays protected.
Wood siding is susceptible to rot, insect infestation, and more. A crucial part of maintaining your siding is inspecting it on a regular basis, especially if you have wood siding. The sooner you catch any issues, the sooner you can repair them. It’s cheaper, easier, and all-around better to address any damage as soon as possible before it gets the chance to worsen.
You should also clean your siding on a regular basis. For wood siding, you’ll want to clean it about once a year. Again, this depends on your environment.
Maintaining Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement siding is relatively easy to maintain and can last you for years. You don’t need to worry about pest damage or cracking from extreme temperature fluctuations like you do with other types of siding. However, you’ll want to inspect it for any warping, paint damage, mildew, or general cracking.
You generally want to clean your fiber cement siding once a year. Depending on where you live, it may be better to clean it twice a year. In some areas, you may be able to get away with cleaning it every two or three years.
You will also need to plan for repainting your fiber cement siding. This material holds paint well, but still, you’ll want to plan on repainting it approximately every 10 years. Again, this can vary. Regular inspections will help you see when your paint is due for a refresher.
Maintaining Vinyl Siding
Maintaining your siding could not be easier when you have vinyl siding. Vinyl siding is not maintenance-free like some people believe. Nothing is! However, it is remarkably easy to care for. Here’s what you need to know about maintaining your siding.
Just like any other type of siding, you’ll want to wash your vinyl siding on a regular basis and inspect it to catch any damage. You don’t really need to worry about rotting or pests with vinyl siding, however, you do want to watch for warping or cracking. You also want to check for any loose or dented panels.
Vinyl can melt if exposed to high heat. As such, you want to ensure that you keep your barbeque and other heating elements a good distance away from your siding. You also want to keep your landscape trimmed to prevent it from scratching your siding or causing mildew growth.
When you’re maintaining your siding, paint isn’t something you need to worry about with vinyl. This is because vinyl siding is typically infused with color. You do want to watch for fading, though. Choosing the right color can help your siding retain its color for as long as possible.
Stunning Siding To Improve Your Home
Kool Breeze offers vinyl siding services. If you’re sick of maintaining your siding as often as other materials necessitate, you can make the switch to vinyl to make your life easier. Contact us today to learn more about our vinyl siding. Let us help you make maintaining your siding as easy as possible.
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