When Should I Replace My Siding?

A good, high-quality siding both makes your home look great and serves as a protective barrier and insulator for your home. However a good, high-quality siding is also a considerable investment, and one you’d like to repeat as infrequently as possible. Not sure whether or not it’s time to shell out for some siding for your Maryland home? Southernwood Roofing & Siding Can help you decide!

Why Is Replacing Siding Important?

There’s a cosmetic aspect to the whole thing of course. Old and damaged siding is kind of ugly, and that can really hurt your home’s appeal. But beyond making things look fancy and cohesive, siding actually serves a few functions, and failing to replace in good time can lead to bigger issues. You want to keep up with siding replacement because:

• It protects against water intrusion. Your siding is not the only thing defending your home from rain and snow. That can also be contributed to the roof, to gutters, and more. But siding is your home’s walls first line of defense, and a defense full of cracks is asking for costly water damage.
• It plays a part in home insulation. Modern insulation has come a long, long way from just a shell for your house. Nowadays siding can give a huge boost to home comfort and energy-efficiency—benefits you’ll lose with bungled siding.
• It protects your home from sun. Direct sun exposure tends to take its toll on nearly everything, and your siding is the only thing keeping exterior walls from getting damaged prematurely.

When Does Siding Need to be Replaced?

When its time has come siding will display very clear signs that it’s time to call on your friendly neighborhood home service specialists. Common signs include:

• Cracking. Siding that has only taken on a wee bit of damage might be fine, and often enough cracks and chips can simply be replaced. But don’t let too much damage stick around before you decide it’s time to go for a full siding replacement.
• Dry rot, mold, and mildew. Cellulose based materials including wood and some hybrids are susceptible to accumulating rot and mold over time, which can lead to an unsightly problem that will only get worse with time.
• Aging. There’s honestly no definitive timeframe for replacing siding. For some homes siding could last for ten years, while some don’t need to think much about it til two decades have passed. The best answer here is after about eight to 10 years you should start getting your siding inspected routinely to catch problems early.
• Drafts or low home comfort. There are actually a lot of potential causes for drafts, including exterior wall damage, bad windows, and even more. But if you know your siding is a bit on the older side, or if the siding has recently taken on some form of damage, then this should be the first thing you consider as the root of the issue.

Siding Replacement Specialists in Southern Maryland

Think it may be time to replace your siding, or looking for professional guidance to help you make the decision? Contact Southernwood online today! Our specialists have years of experience and training, and can help you find the ideal solution to suit your situation.