Advanced Siding Repair
A new siding installation can significantly improve the overall appearance of your home. In addition, it can make your home more energy efficient and reduce your heating and cooling costs.
Damaged siding can allow moisture into your walls, causing mold or rot if not fixed promptly. Water leaks and warping can also increase your energy bills. Luckily, these problems are easy to fix. For professional help, call Charleston Advanced Siding Repair.
In some cases, cracks are the result of faulty installation or poor weather. Other times, they can be a sign of serious structural damage that needs to be repaired. The good news is that many cracks can be easily repaired and will not cause any further problems. It is important to understand what causes them, however, in order to decide the best course of action.
Hairline cracks that are only a few millimeters wide are not usually a concern, as they occur naturally in most houses and are purely cosmetic. However, if they are wider and more noticeable, they may be a warning sign of subsidence. Cracks that are wide enough to allow daylight into a home are also of concern, as they can be a serious health and safety issue and need to be addressed immediately.
To repair a crack, first wipe the surface clean and make sure it is free of dust or dirt. Using a plastic putty knife (not a metal one, as it could damage the vinyl), apply an even amount of filler to both sides of the crack, then smooth and level it with your finger. Allow the patch to dry for two to four hours, then lightly sand the area, starting with 100-grit and moving up to 220-grit. This helps the patch blend in with the rest of the siding. Once it is sanded, brush acrylic latex exterior paint over the patch and let it dry.
Another way to prevent cracks from appearing is to install metal flashing behind the bricks at each end of a wall, as well as along any joints in long walls. This will ensure that moisture doesn’t get past the vinyl and into the house, which can cause mold and mildew, which are both extremely hazardous to your health.
Holes
A hole in your vinyl siding can allow rain or snow to seep behind the clapboard. This can cause further damage, including rot and mildew. For this reason, it is important to have holes repaired quickly.
The first step in repairing a hole in your vinyl is to locate the area of the damaged clapboard. Using a bright marker or chalk, mark the spot for easy identification. For larger holes, you may need to patch the spot with some new material. To do so, cut a piece of thermally modified wood or rainscreen that is slightly larger than the hole and glue or nail it into place. Before doing this, make sure that the sheathing is still in good shape. You can test this by poking a drill bit into a vertical seam between two sheathing pieces. The amount of resistance that the bit provides will tell you if the sheathing is in good shape or not.
For small holes, a simple tape repair will do the trick. Most repair kits will include a vinyl cleaning solution to facilitate adhesion and help the new tape bond with the existing vinyl. For a more durable repair, professionals will often extend the tape under the section above the hole as well to recreate the shingle effect that is typical of vinyl siding.
This type of repair is not as seamless as replacing the damaged clapboard, but it can be an effective short-term fix until you have time to replace it. However, the color of your vinyl will fade over time due to exposure to UV rays from the sun. This can make matching the color of the new repair difficult.
If the vinyl clapboard is in very poor condition, it may be best to simply replace it with some new aluminum sheeting. This is a job that can be done by a professional, but for the do-it-yourselfer, it will involve a fair amount of measuring, cutting, and nailing. It is essential that the proper tools and safety equipment are used, especially when working with fiberglass. This includes a respirator, goggles, and gloves. It is also essential to use stainless steel ring-shank nails for siding, as they won’t rust and will not stain the paint.
Rot
If your home’s wood siding has begun to rot, then you’re in need of some serious repairs. Rot can be an indication of larger structural damage and is often caused by water or moisture. Once rot spreads, it is very difficult to fix and may require replacing the entire siding of your home.
If you are noticing isolated areas of rot in your siding, it is important to patch them before the rot spreads. If you catch it quickly, you can replace only the affected boards before they have a chance to fully decompose.
Walk around your home and look for swollen, warped, or bulging boards. These are usually just the tip of the iceberg and indicate that there is a larger problem behind them. If you see a lot of these, then it is probably time to have a siding contractor come out and take a look at your Dallas home.
If you are worried about rot on your home’s siding, then you should consider upgrading to composite siding by Everlast. This innovative material is resistant to all forms of moisture and won’t rot, swell, or bow. The color of your composite siding will also never fade or need re-painting like traditional vinyl.
Warped Boards
The siding of your house is one of the most important parts of your home. It is not just a cosmetic element; it also provides protection from weather, insects, and vermin. So, if you notice that your siding is warped or cracked, it is very important to repair the problem immediately. Otherwise, it may lead to serious structural problems and a loss of curb appeal for your home.
There are many reasons why wood becomes buckled or warped. However, most of these issues can be prevented. This can be done by correctly selecting lumber at the lumber yard and storing it properly after it has been installed. It is also important to use a quality sealer and follow proper maintenance guidelines for your siding to help prevent moisture issues.
While early warping can go unnoticed by the untrained eye, it is usually easy to spot once the problem has become more severe. The most common type of warp is bowing, which is where the board deviates from flatness lengthwise. Other types of warp include crook, twist, and kink.
One of the easiest ways to fix a warped board is to use an iron. To do this, wrap the affected area of the board in a towel that is large enough to cover the board and thick enough to withstand the heat from the iron. Next, place the wrapped board on a work surface and apply pressure. Heat up a steam iron and press down firmly on the affected area of the board with even pressure. This method might take a few tries, but it should correct the warp.
Another way to fix a warped board is to remove the nails and shorten them a bit before reinserting them in place. This will help to prevent the boards from becoming splintered and should correct any warping that is due to a tight fit between the clapboards. Lastly, you can use wood putty to fill in any cracks or splits that are visible on the surface of the board and then touch them up with paint or stain.
