3 Tips To Maintain Siding And Prevent Wear

When there is a storm, the first place you look for damage is the roof, which is also where you do a lot of other maintenance. The roof of your home is often the first place to show signs of damage, but it is not the only place where you may have problems and need to have repairs done—if you have siding on your home, maintenance is also important in these areas. You want to regularly inspect for wear and damage, clean siding and paint it if needed. Here are some siding maintenance tips that will help reduce wear and extend the life of your home's exterior finish.

1. Regularly Inspect Siding and Caulking for Signs of Wear and Repair Needs

Just as you inspect the roof of your home routinely, you will also want to do same for your exterior siding. When inspecting your siding, you will want to look for signs of wear and small repairs that need to be done, such as siding coming loose from the wall. In addition, inspect areas like wood trim and caulking around windows, doors and corner boards for wear. Replace cracked and damaged caulking to prevent leaks that can lead to serious water damage problems inside your home.

2. Clean and Paint to Extend the Life of Siding Materials

Cleaning is the most important maintenance task that needs to be done for the materials on the exterior of your home. All siding materials will be damaged if you let them get too dirty. If you have vinyl siding, you will want to use a cleaning product that also has UV protection to prevent decay from sun exposure. For other materials like wood, metal and fiber cement siding, you will want to paint the siding every few years to protect it from wear and weathering. Some metal and fiber cement siding products have special finishes that are meant to last longer than paint, but can be restored with a fresh coat of paint if the finish becomes faded or damaged.

3. Repair and Replace Damaged Siding to Prevent More Costly Repairs

Over the years, there may also be some siding that needs to be repaired. Damage from storms or other stress often means that a piece or section of siding needs to be replaced. Sometimes, the repairs that are needed may be something as simple as refastening a piece of siding that has worked loose from the wall. When the damage is widespread and severe, such as storm damage that has caused cracks, dents and other visible problems, you will need to replace it and do other necessary repairs.

Using Compressors, Sprayers and Pneumatic Tools For Siding Maintenance

If you are planning on doing the maintenance of your siding on your own, you are going to need the right equipment, which is a good investment because it can be used for a variety of maintenance projects. For quick cleaning of siding, use a pressure washer, but use a wide spray nozzle to avoid damaging materials. Small compressors and a brad/staple nailer will help make small repairs quick and painless, and a small paint sprayer attachment for the compressor will make painting and applying finishes on large surfaces easier.

Using equipment to do maintenance is a great way to save on repairs. Contact a hydraulic hose and fitting supplier to get all the hose fittings, adaptors and hoses you need for compressors, sprayers and pressure washers.