There are many signs to look for in your homes exterior to discover that your existing siding is not serving its purpose. When your siding is old or hasn’t been maintained for a while you may notice a few things, just by looking at it. Old or poorly maintained siding gives your home a tired, boring look. Tired look may be the sign that your siding just needs a little maintenance or fresh paint. But sometimes your siding may be prone to much bigger issues that may be hidden underneath as a result of poor installation or poor/ improper product selection.In Portland Oregon your home is exposed to all kinds of unpredictable weather all year long. We all know how it can rain for days non stop or be sunny and warm one day and extremely cold the very next day. So its very important for you as a homeowner to know when its time to maintain your siding or replace it to make sure the exterior of your home gives a proper protection for the interior of your home.Let’s examine the exterior of your home and run a simple questionnaire:
Do you notice any stains or weather damage on the exterior of your home?
Do you see any chipping , warping or decay on your siding?
Do you notice any dry rot, mold or mildew on the exterior or inside your home?
Do you notice any large gaps, cracks in your siding?
Stains, chipping warping or decay on your siding can be a result of past due maintenance. Siding especially wood siding requires maintenance in a form of fresh paint, sealer or stain. Without proper maintenance your siding will stay unprotected and result in much shorter lifespan then expected.
Issues like dry rot, mold or mildew are usually found in the areas where there is access for moisture. Moisture access may be the result of improper installation or poor maintenance of your siding. Since, dry rot may compromise the structural integrity of your home, it is important to detect it in its earliest stages and prevent it from spreading. There are also signs you may note inside your home that indicate the presence of dry rot. Things you may notice are peeling or discolored paint, sagging wallpaper or the most obvious is the actual presence of dark fungi spots on the wall and musty damp odor. Most important and alarming fact about dry rot is that it posses a serious risk to your health so detection and prevention in the earliest stages is crucial.
Reasonable siding expansion and gaps are completely normal because of the afftects weather has on your home. When weather is as unpredictable as it is in Oregon, proper installation of siding is essential. If you notice cracks in your siding or that space between the joins are unreasonably large then it might indicate that your siding has been installed when it was wet or that your siding has not enough paint or sealant to prevent it from damage. During installation your siding must be properly sealed with caulking to make sure that even if your siding expands with weather any gaps or extraction areas are properly protected. Our company uses only the best quality sealant out there: Sonolastic 150 Commercial grade caulking. It accommodates extreme joint movement (+100 to –50%) to keep moving joints weather-tight.
If you noticed any of these signs on your home or would like us to run an evaluation of your siding for you, please fill out free online reqest form.