Siding Replacement: Warning Signs When It’s Time To Do It

When replacing the siding on your home, one of the crucial things to look for is particular warning signs. These tell the story of what’s going on inside of your house walls. Some are minor issues, but you may have bigger problems that require immediate siding replacement Arlington services.

Like everything else in your home, siding does get old. As it bends, cracks, fades, leaks, or rots, specific problems create new issues and costly repairs to other parts of your home. That’s why it’s so important to look for these warning signs for siding replacement.

Warning Signs of Siding Replacement Not to Ignore

Another piece of advice is this: inspect your home each month. You may want to create a checklist, so here are a few quick things to look for as you inspect the siding of your home. We explain how to inspect for some of these particular issues down below.

•  Signs of warping and rot
•  Dry rot
•  Cracked, loose, and broken siding
•  Bubbling
•  Mold, mildew and, fungus
•  Severe fading
•  Holes
•  Loose wallpaper or peeling paint inside your home
•  Frequently re-painting
•  Higher power bills

1. Warped, Rotted Siding

After a few years, extreme weather can lead to bent and warped siding, as well as rotting underneath the top layer of your siding. You’ll want to take a screwdriver and look for areas of siding that are curved, rippled, or showing signs of rot. As you gently poke with the screwdriver, see if the siding feels spongy and soft. This means that the layer underneath is likely rotting away.

2. Look for Dry Rot

Dry rot will slowly eat away at the underside of your siding, only leaving the top layer to remain. This leads to a lack of insulation for your home, higher energy bills, and room for pests to move in.

The only thing to do is replace all siding affected by dry rot as it will slowly creep to all parts of your home, leading to more areas that need re-siding.

3. Broken and Cracked Siding

If you notice any cracks in your siding, then you’ll need to get siding repair immediately. Loose, broken, and cracked siding only invites pests to move in, as well as mold and mildew. If you leave loose or cracked siding for too long, you’ll likely have larger areas to replace.

A siding contractor can inspect the area and provide you with a free estimate on all repairs. You may even find there are even better deals if you choose complete siding replacement and fortify your home, especially if it’s been over ten years or you live in an older home.

4. Dreaded Mold and Mildew

Fungi aren’t fun. If you notice black spots, green mold, and mildew, you should look further into the problem. Your siding is likely suffering from rot in some areas, but it also means that it is damp and moist underneath. Your siding probably isn’t doing the best job of keeping out moisture, which may mean it’s time to replace this siding if you want to prevent further issues with mold and mildew.

5. Bubbling Siding

We’ve seen too many homes with bubbling siding these past years. This means that water has become trapped underneath your siding, which leads to bubbling. Trapped water means that your siding wasn’t sealed properly during installation, and now the underlayer will most likely rot as moisture continuously creeps in.

6. Holes in Your Siding

From our experience, holes are typically the work of pests, such as insects or a larger animal that has punctured the side of your home. Even a tiny hole can cause damage to the underside of your top layer if it lets in water.

Holes are typically caused by burrowing insects, which in some cases could mean termites. If you notice this type of pests around your home’s exterior, particularly around loose and soft siding, it’s time to call the experts and replace your siding immediately.

7. Extremely Faded Siding

If your home has shady and sun-facing areas, you’re bound to see some fading from year to year. Over time, weather conditions also create fading. All siding has a life expectancy depending on the brand and material. If your siding has severely faded, then you likely need a replacement. However, older siding doesn’t necessarily mean bad siding. A quick inspection from a siding contractor can reveal whether there are any issues to repair or replace.

8. Re-Painting Frequently

Is the paint often peeling one side of your home? If you frequently have to re-paint your siding because of chipping, cracking, and peeling, there may be another issue below. Any high-quality siding should keep its shape and color for up to 10 years. If you find that you’re painting your siding every couple of years, then perhaps it’s time to go with higher-quality siding material.

9. High Power Bills

Many issues can create higher electricity bills, such as a dying HVAC system, draft windows, bad airflow, and insulation issues. However, many people don’t often consider siding could also be a factor.

Suppose you’ve ruled out all other factors and still find that your power bills have increased or that one room seems poorly insulated in comparison to the rest of your home. In that case, it could be that poor quality siding, deteriorating siding, or other issues on the exterior of your home are causing the problem.

Particularly with installation problems, your siding may not be helping with insulation. You’ll likely need to replace poor siding or look into better siding materials if you find this to be the culprit of your high energy use.

10. Peeling Paint and Wallpaper Inside Your Home

If your siding allows water to creep in and seep into the material, you may start to notice issues with peeling paint and wallpaper inside your home. As moisture enters your home, you’re leaving the structure open for more rot and mold. It’s time to get a professional contractor.

If you find any of these critical warnings on your house, call us immediately for a free in-home estimate.

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