Sep 5, 2016

Learn How to Maintain the Siding of Your Home



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.

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