As any Haddonfield roofing and siding contractor always implies, evaluating your house’s siding on a frequent basis is extremely important in order to identify potential damage to the structure. The very first step towards this evaluation is to recognize the type of siding material that has been used. When you know the material, the next step is to examine the problem area closely and find the best way to fix the problem.
If the warranty period for your siding is still active, you should first read through the document before proceeding to repair any of it on your own. This is an important point to remember because performing repairs on your own can directly invalidate the product’s warranty. On the other hand, if you had a professional roofing and siding contractor from your Haddonfield neighborhood install the siding for you, you may want to contact them when you find damage or an issue.
Though some siding issues may seem small, they could eventually grow into larger problems and actually end up costing you more than you anticipated. Any problem, especially water infiltration, should be attended to immediately.
Common Issues with Siding
To help you identify a problem area easily, Haddonfield roofing and siding contractors list the following as common siding issues:
• Buckling: If you are using manufactured siding, buckling is a common problem you can expect to encounter. Buckling happens when the gaps for expansion in areas where the siding joins with the channels and trim are too small.
• Disconnected joints: This is a common problem in almost all types of lap siding; this issue can be especially common with wooden lap siding. If the gaps are too wide, it signifies that you have a moisture problem in your house and it is wise to contact a Haddonfield roofing and siding contractor immediately to have the issue rectified.
• Missing siding: Similar to missing roof shingles, missing siding is also a common siding problem faced by many homeowners. Check your siding regularly for missing shakes and have them replaced immediately to prevent further damage.
• Surface damage: This is common with metal siding. When the surface damage on your metal siding is rather minor, it wouldn’t cause any major problems. However, if the damage has already reached the surface, you may need expert assistance.
Siding Repair
Though siding damage is highly common, most types of damage are fairly easy to fix as well. The following are some easy tips to repair commonly used siding materials, as recommended by the Haddonfield roofing and siding contractors:
Vinyl Siding
To remove a damaged vinyl siding panel, first separate the panels using a zip tool, use spacers to increase the gap between the panels, and then remove all the nails, screws, or other fasteners from the damaged siding. Then you can cut a replacement panel from a similar material to fill in the gap. One important point emphasized by the Haddonfield roofing and siding contractors is that if the damaged siding is near a window, door, or corner, you will have to replace the whole panel in order to avoid any additional work.
Lap Siding
If water seems to be the main reason for the damage to your lap siding, first locate the exact spot and repair the damage-causing source. Before proceeding with any further steps, you should first mark the siding section that needs replacement. Then use spacers to build a gap just above the area to be repaired. The next step is to cut new boards to replace the old ones; remember to apply primer to the backs and sides of the boards and let them dry before fixing. Then nail the new boards to their respective spaces, and once again stain or paint the new boards to match the old ones.
Board and Batten Siding
To replace board and batten siding, first remove the batten from the damaged board before you actually pry out the whole board. Before proceeding with the replacement, first examine the housewrap underneath and patch it if needed. Make sure you get replacement boards from the same kind of wood. Fill in the gap with the new board and nail it in place. Also replace the battens for the board, and remember to stain or paint the replaced boards to match with the rest of the siding.
These siding repair and replacement tips from Haddonfield roofing and siding contractors will be highly useful for those of you who prefer doing such repairs on your own.