While a new bathroom or kitchen replacement might be at the top of your home maintenance wish list, it’s important not to neglect your home’s exterior.
Siding, for example, has a huge positive impact on the appearance of your house. But, it’s also your home’s first defense against everything from pests to water damage. This means that not only does damaged siding reduce your home’s curb appeal, but it also won’t be able to do its job at protecting your home.
The good news is that, with a return on investment of more than 96 percent, a siding replacement is a smart home improvement move that almost pays for itself.
But how do you know if your siding needs replacing? Keep reading to learn the seven key signs.
1. Cracks and Gaps
One of the major signs that you need new factory direct siding is cracks in the material or gaps between pieces. These gaps and cracks in the siding allow moisture into the walls, which can then result in structural damage to your home. This is because the moisture that enters can result in rotting and crumbling support beams.
Cracks and gaps are also an open invitation for destructive pests, including rodents and termites. As such, it’s important to keep on top of your home repairs with regular checks to your siding, or else you could be facing more serious problems very soon.
2. Fading
Vinyl siding is the most popular thanks to its resilience and choice of colors. One disadvantage is that it’s prone to fading, especially if your home’s exterior gets a lot of direct sunlight. Although, the color should hold true for the length of time it’s rated to last by the manufacturer.
If you do notice that your siding has changed color to a significant degree, it’s likely time for a complete exterior replacement. While you might consider it more of a cosmetic issue, when your siding starts coming to the end of its life span, you can start to expect further damage in the near future.
3. Moisture Damage
Visible moisture damage is a surefire sign that your siding is failing in some way. This damage might appear on the siding itself as discoloration. Or, you might start to notice moisture damage to your home’s interior. This can include peeling paint, bubbling wallpaper, damp smells, mold, and mildew.
Since these issues can have a serious negative effect on your family’s health as well as on your home, moisture damage is something you need to deal with straight away.
Checking your home inside and out after adverse weather conditions such as heavy rainfall can help you keep on top of potential water damage. While your home might have been vulnerable before, bad weather can highlight where and how your siding isn’t offering the protection it should.
4. Melting
As durable as vinyl siding is, heat can pose a problem for the siding on your home’s exterior. Whether it’s reflected sunlight reflected off or a backyard barbecue that’s a little too close for comfort, vinyl siding can melt when exposed to heat over prolonged periods.
Faded patches, warping, and bubbling are all signs that heat may have damaged your siding. As well as looking unattractive, melted vinyl siding won’t protect your home’s exterior as well as it’s important to replace it as soon as possible.
5. Bulging and Warping
Warped, bubbling, or bulging siding are other common signs that water has found its way into your home’s exterior walls. Mold damage is a serious issue but moisture within your walls can do an extreme amount of structural damage to your home in next to no time.
If you notice bubbling or warping on your home’s siding that doesn’t seem to be a result of heat damage, be sure to have it assessed and replaced by a professional as soon as possible. While water damage is most likely the cause of the bubbling and warping, other serious issues could be lurking beneath your siding.
6. Pests
This is one of the more difficult signs to spot, not least because insects can work their way into your home through the tiniest holes. Although the damage that certain pests can do will be anything but small.
Check around creases in the siding for any signs of boreholes, nests, or anything else that would indicate that pests have infiltrated your home’s siding. While some infestations may not be too concerning, it all depends on the type of pest involved. The wrong kind of infestation, such as termites, can cause no end of damage to your home’s exterior and interior. With this in mind, calling a professional to assess the damage is always a good idea.
7. Inflated Energy Bills
As well as protecting your home and improving its aesthetic appeal, siding is a great home renovation update for those of you keen on making your home more energy-efficient.
With this in mind, if you’ve noticed your heating and cooling costs creeping up, damaged siding could be to blame. Without adequate protection from the elements, your HVAC system will have to work overtime to override cool breezes and hot pockets of air that enter through gaps, cracks, and other siding issues.
And, if it is the case that siding damage is to blame, replacing it with insulated vinyl siding can save you a lot of money on your heating and cooling bills in the long run.
Home Maintenance: Signs That You Need New Siding
Keeping on top of home maintenance means performing annual checks on your home’s exterior.
But, it’s also important to keep a constant eye out for these signs that you might need a siding replacement. After all, cracks, gaps, and other issues will only get worse if you leave them for too long.
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