Siding keeps your home’s exterior protected and safe from the elements. Sun, wind, toxins, humidity, and water will impact any type of siding materials It’s vital to safeguarding structural integrity. Regularly maintaining siding will ensure the safety of you and your family. Reasons why siding maintenance is important include preventing damage, decreasing energy costs, and reduces a residence’s carbon footprint.
Preserves Curb Appeal
Siding is probably the first thing a visitor or passer-by notices about your home’s exterior. When cedar siding displays patches of wood rot, or the colour of vinyl siding fades, or metal siding has dents, it detracts from your curb appeal. The same goes for siding materials that show signs of mold or mildew and other kinds of water damage such as stains, pinholes, and cracking.
Prevents Damage
While washing the siding, you notice a raised nail head or that the aluminum siding has sprouted a dent. Raised nail heads are typically an indication that siding panels have become loose, allowing moisture in places where air and sun can’t dry it up. Dented metal siding, including steel siding, becomes vulnerable to rust. Regular siding maintenance brings possible issues to the forefront that can be dealt with before they become expensive problems.
Increases Lifespan of Siding Material
Properly washing and maintaining siding according to the type of siding material will increase the lifespan of your siding. Regardless of the siding material currently cladding your home’s exterior, general cleaning rules include:
- Use mild or earth-friendly cleaning solutions
- Use a bleach alternative to remove mold or mildew
- When cleaning stains manually use soft bristle brushes and apply light pressure
- Avoid power washers
Decreases Energy Costs
It is important to an energy-efficient home that it is well-insulated. Damaged or compromised siding lets in moisture and cold air while allowing warm air to escape. Maintaining the siding ensures it functions as it should and decreases energy costs because the heating and cooling systems of your home aren’t working overtime.
Reduces Your Carbon Footprint
When heat in the winter or cold air in the summer escapes from the interior of your home, it negatively impacts the environment. Maintaining siding reduces the possibility of insulation failure and allowing the escaped air to heat up or cool down the outdoors.
Saves Money
It might seem counterintuitive to say that maintaining siding saves money since it costs money to clean and repair it. But regular maintenance prevents problems from becoming worse. Replacing siding is expensive, whether it’s repairing a section or installing new replacement siding.
It’s not just your home’s exterior. When siding is scratched or dented, it can result in costly repairs to cracked ceilings, compromised insulation, and mold growth on interior walls.
Validates Home Insurance Policies
Many home insurance policies are contingent on good home maintenance habits. If it is determined that the siding on your house was due neglect or lack of upkeep rather than that windstorm that swept through the area, an insurance company might refuse to pay for repairs or replacement siding.
