Most of the siding often calls for very little
maintenance based on the fact that they are designed to withstand the
occasional stress put on them by nature and our daily activities. Nevertheless,
no matter the type of siding that is used on your home, they all need to be
taken care of in order to keep your siding functional and in a very good
condition. The question therefore is how do you maintain the siding of your
home? There are several methods on how you can maintain the siding of your home
and this boils down to the material that is used in making the siding of your
home. The siding of your house is a subject to the elements in your area, and
the fierceness of the several elements dictates how often you need to maintain
your sidings. If you are living in areas with scorching sun and vicious snow,
then your siding needs to be maintained and treated more often compared to
areas with temperate climates.
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The best and easiest
way to maintain and protect your siding is by ensuring that the siding is
properly finished with a paint, clear sealer or stain; as when the siding of
your house is left bare and unprotected, then it is highly susceptible to decay
and rot that is caused by the moisture in the environment. Based on the fact
the materials used in making the siding often expand and contract in relation
to the constant changes in humidity and temperature, these variations may force
the paint used in finishing to chip off and crack. When this happens over a prolonged
period of time, the caulk will separate and keep out moisture and in the end
rot will develop as long as the siding of your house is not well protected from
the elements.
Paint as stated
previously is the easiest way to maintain the siding of your house and it comes
in variety of colours that matches your preference and can always be changed
anytime. Therefore it is advisable that your siding should be repainted every
five years at least or as soon your painting shows signs of deterioration. If
you chose to use clear sealers, ensure that it is reapplied after every two
years.
Secondly, dirt is one
the most prominent cause of discoloration on the siding of your house.
Therefore, at least every year you should clean your siding using warm and
soapy water with a soft-bristled brush. In doing this, divide your house in
equal sections and thoroughly clean every section and rinse before moving to
the next section. To remove mildews, clean the affected area with bleach and
water mixed in the ratio of one to four. Always ensure you wear eye protection
and after cleaning, thoroughly clean the area with clean water. In case you
siding is affected by rust that is appears as black blotches and caused by
metal fasteners that was not previously galvanized, dissolve 4.oz of oxalic
acid in one cup of warm water and then apply this mixture to the stained area
and gently scrub it with a soft-bristled brush, the thoroughly rinse it with
clean water. For better maintenance, replace the nails with stainless steel or
galvanized fasteners.
According to Frank
Lesh, a professional house inspector based in Chicago and former president of American
Society of Home Inspectors, no tree branches or
shrubberies should be allowed to have contact with the siding of your house as
the foliage will conduct moisture that will get to the cracks or tiny openings
of your siding and result to damage of the siding.
Written by Enrich Construction, the best service
for siding in Columbia, MO.
