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Siding influences so much about your house: its condition, its style, its feel. Dirty, weathered siding makes owner and observer alike feel as if they are looking at a dump, even if the interior is pristine. Because siding affects all aspects of a home, poor siding will eventually allow deterioration to work its way to the interior. When you show your siding some love, it will love you back. Learn which type of siding you should buy (or why you have the siding that you already have); how to assess it for damage and make simple repairs; and how to clean your siding for maximum effect with minimum effort.
With a house, nothing is random; there is an explanation for each of its elements. Siding is no exception. Region, culture, traditions, and climate are just some of the reasons why a home in Cape Cod may have wood shiplap siding and one in Albuquerque may have stucco siding.
Individual needs and desires form another layer of choices. An owner may have chosen vinyl siding because money was tight that year. A different homeowner may have spent more on fiber-cement siding because she knew that she would be selling before long and wanted to boost resale value.
Fiber-Cement
Vinyl
What it is: Vinyl siding, often thought of as inferior to other types of siding, nonetheless is very popular, prevalent, inexpensive, and easy to install.
Wood
Brick
Manufactured Veneer
Stucco
House siding takes a brutal beating over the years, so damage is par for the course. Repairing damaged house siding should be an expected part of your normal house maintenance duties.
Fiber-Cement
Typical Damages: Cracks; holes; peeling coating
Solutions: Fiber-cement siding is brittle and prone to cracking. Cracked boards should be replaced. Holes and dings can be filled with cementitious patching compound. Peeling coating can be stripped and repainted.http://inspectapedia.com/exterior/Siding_Fiber_Cement_Repair.php
Vinyl
Typical Damages: Cracks; melting (from barbecues, etc.)
Solutions: Cracks are best dealt with by replacing the entire vinyl plank. As a stop-gap, you can make a crude patch out of “like” material and stick it over the missing area with silicone caulk.http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/walls-and-ceilings/how-to-repair-vinyl-siding
Wood
Typical Damages: Peeling; chipping; cracks
Solutions: Since all wood siding must be painted, its paint is usually the first layer to be damaged. Strip, patch, and repaint. Deep chips and cracks can be patched with wood putty, then primed and painted over. Long, horizontal cracks in wood plank or lap siding usually warrant replacement of the entire board.
Brick
Typical Damages: Crumbling mortar joints
Solutions: Structural brick is hardy, but mortar is not. Re-point brick mortar on an as-needed basis when you begin to lose mortar from between the bricks. Pointing is not difficult but it is tedious. If you decide to point the brick yourself, use a pointing trowel and make mortar from six parts fine white sand, two parts lime, and one part white Portland cement.https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-repoint-brick/#.WionJN-nGUk
Stone Veneer
Typical Damages: Dislodged or missing stones; cracks in existing stones
Solutions: Cut to size and replace with the same brand and style of veneer stone. Cracks can be filled with tinted mortar, but for best appearances, replace the stone entirely.http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fix-veneer-stone-fallen-off-wall-39626.html
Stucco
Typical Damages: Holes; cracks; chips Solutions: Small holes and cracks in stucco can be effectively patched with flexible sealants. For larger holes and for chips, use a putty knife to apply pre-mixed stucco patching compound.https://www.quikrete.com/athome/video-repairing-sealing-cracks-holes-in-stucco.asp
Brighten your home’s colors and make it gleam with an annual cleaning in the spring or summer.
Many homeowners clean their siding with a power washer. While this wins points for ease, it does risk damaging the siding as well as forcing water under the siding. For a thorough job, nothing is better than a manual cleaning. While it may sound daunting, with the right tools and materials this can be a manageable weekend project.
Tools and Materials
1. Choose the Perfect Time Avoid times when the sun blasts directly on the siding, as this can bake the dirt back onto the siding. Early morning tends to be the best time.
2. Think in Sections Cleaning an entire side of the house is defeating and leads to a barely-clean house. Instead, mentally create ten-foot-wide sections and work each section by itself.
3. First Rinse First, protect vegetation with a tarp. Start with a quick rinse from the hose to knock off large debris. Rinse working downward.
4. Clean Upward It may seem counter-intuitive but starting at the bottom and working upward is the best way to minimize streaking. Dip the brush in the cleaning solution, then gently swab the house, starting at the bottom of the section.
5. Go Higher (But Carefully!) When you cannot reach any higher, set up the ladder and step on the lower rungs. Be careful of pushing too hard or you will tip the ladder. Work quickly to avoid the cleaning solution drying on the siding, but always stay well within the margins of safety.
6. Rinse Section, Repeat Rinse the section thoroughly to remove all traces of grime, working from the top downward. Then move to the adjoining section and repeat the process.https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/home-maintenance-tips/how-to-clean-siding/https://www.vinylsiding.org/vsi-resources/cleaning-and-maintenance/
Your house siding may be durable against the elements, but it does need your attention. Learn about the basic types of siding, how to assess and repair damages, and how to clean.
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