How to Tell If It's Time to Refresh the Siding of Your Home

Like any other part of your home, your siding needs care and attention, and occasionally, it needs to be replaced. Ideally, you catch the need for replacement early on to reduce the risk of damage to your home. This being said, due to how rarely it occurs, many people are unaware of the signs that siding needs to be refreshed. The following will break down some of the more common indicators that you need to replace the siding on your home. Of course, if your issue is not on this list, it could still be serious. If you are unsure, always reach out to a professional to make sure that you are properly maintaining and protecting your home.

If Fungus, Mold, Or Mildew Is Present

If you can see mold, mildew, or fungus growing out of the gaps or seams—or if you find large patches of it around a seam, this hints at the material beneath the siding damp. This means that your siding is no longer doing one of its most important jobs, which is keeping your house dry. In addition to this, mold is quite dangerous when inhaled, so it is not something you want around your home anyway. You will likely need to replace your siding.

If Siding Is Warped, Broken, Or Loose

The warping, cracking, or loosening of siding can be caused by intense weather or years of typical wear and tear. An individual crack can be repaired without replacing all of the siding, but bigger warped areas or extensive breaks might require replacement. Speaking with siding contractors can let you know whether the visible damage on your siding requires a complete overhaul or a spot treatment. All of these issues allow for moisture to get within your home which not only further damages your siding, but it can also harm your abode. You might also find that replacing loose or broken siding lowers the cost of utilities as it is easier for your systems to keep your home warm or cool as it is better sealed from the outside.

Insect Holes

If there are holes leftover from insect activity, this is extremely serious and should result in you making a phone call to a professional quickly. Not only do these holes allow in moisture as discussed above, but they are a strong indicator that there may be damage done to the home beneath your siding as well. Bugs that can damage siding, can also damage the structure of your home. Every year termites cause billions of dollars in structural damage, and that’s just termites. 

Carpenter ants, woodpeckers, powder post beetles, and carpenter bees are other pests that can cause the same type of damage. This is one of those scenarios where the sooner you diagnose the problem, the less damage is done and the less expensive dealing with the aftermath will be.

Keeping an eye out for the above signs of damage will help you know when it's time to replace your siding. As a general rule, siding needs to be replaced somewhere within ten and twenty years of installation. This being said, every home is different and the siding in your particular case might need to be replaced sooner than average depending on the weather conditions and various other environmental factors.