What are the Signs Your Home Needs New Siding?

So many of us leave and return to our house daily, but have you taken a close look at the siding recently?  Is your home’s vinyl or other siding faded? Chipped? Cracked?  How do you know when you need to have your vinyl siding replaced? 

Vinyl siding lasts a long time.  Its life expectancy runs from 20 to 40 years.  While that is a pretty large window, keep in mind that not only are there different quality options, but that in more extreme weather, like the weather in Minnesota and other northern states, the siding takes more of a beating.  Over the years, you may not notice the gradual fading of your home’s siding, but here are some ways to determine when it is time to have your vinyl siding replaced with beautiful new siding from All Pro Xteriors Inc.  The comprehensive selection will have all your siding needs, whether vinyl, aluminum fiber, cement, or shakes, stone, and steel siding.  Here are signs that it is time for a change.

Signs the Lifespan of Your Home’s Siding is Ending

Your Heating and Cooling bills have increased.  When you have quality windows properly sealed, good insulation and smart thermostats you expect your heating and cooling bills to go down.  If you have already added insulation, added weather stripping and sealed cracks, it may be time to look at the siding as a possible culprit of heat transfer.  All Pro Xteriors Inc. offers free exterior home inspections that are contact free.  Call (952) 486-7834 and ask for a digitally delivered All Pro Xteriors Inc. home inspection.

Evidence of Rot:  While vinyl siding rarely gets dry rot, wood siding underneath much of the vinyl siding does.  If water oozes under the outer siding, fungus can develop and cause rot on both the wood and the siding attached to it.  Rotten siding cracks and pulls apart easily.

Evidence of moisture inside the home: The longer rotted or damaged siding stays on a house, the more chance there is that moisture will seep into the wood and home underneath.  This may manifest itself by paint peeling in the home’s interior, an indication moisture has gotten into the plaster or drywall.  You or your inspector from All Pro Xteriors Inc. can see evidence in the siding when you find spots of mold or rot. 

Loose or cracked siding: whether your siding has taken a beating from hail or baseballs or rocks, it can dent and crack.  Heat and sun over time add to the aging process, and siding becomes weakened.  If you can see the siding is loose, if you see cracks, it is time to call in the pros at All Pro Xteriors, Inc.

Warped or buckling siding: Temperature changes and settling of your home cause vinyl and metal siding to expand and contract.  Professional installers know this and install the siding with this in mind, to allow enough movement for the normal weather related expansion and contraction.  If your siding has warping or bucking, it could be caused by sun damage, a grill too close to the home, or siding that was too tight when installed.  That buckling can lead to worse, so consider talking to an expert to find out if the damaged siding needs to be replaced.

Holes in the siding: Last year’s hail could have made those holes in the siding, but the holes could also be created by small critters seeking food or shelter inside your walls.  Sometimes the food is your walls, and carpenter ants, bees, beetles and termites will chew holes to reach tasty wood turning it to sawdust.  Check with a professional, so you can address the problem, itself.  New siding after the pests get in is not a final solution.

If you are still not sure whether your siding should be replaced, visit AllProXteriorsInc.com and set up your free exterior home inspection.  Tell us your concerns, and our professionals can deliver the information digitally with recommendation on how soon to replace your siding or whether it just needs to be cleaned.  The crew at All Pro Xteriors Inc. is experienced and efficient and can quickly handle the whole project with little disruption to you or your family.  Get back to summer and let the Pros at All Pro Xteriors Inc. deliver the fresh look you deserve on your home.