Help Your Siding Last: Maintenance Tips

There’s good news for Cherokee homeowners with siding on their homes. Often preferred over wood, engineered siding is highly durable and resilient, but it does require some care. These maintenance tips will cover all the bases, and will ensure every last dollar in an investment in home siding is recovered. Here’s what to do:

Maintain Landscaping

Don’t let shrubs, trees or other plants with sharp edges butt up against the siding—as they could scratch and potentially harm the siding. For example, vines can attach to the siding as they make their way up the side of the home—causing serious potential damage to the material. Consider hiring a professional landscaper or lawn care expert to do maintenance. Always ask family and friends for references or check the provider’s Better Business Bureau or Angie’s List ratings to ensure the landscaper knows how to protect siding from out-of-control plants.

Steer Clear of Harmful Materials

The compounds in herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers can stain siding. It’s important to keep these harmful chemicals as far away from the home as possible. Other products like caulking, motor oil or driveway sealant can also damage the look of the siding. When using any of these products, be sure to protect the siding by applying plastic tarps to the home to prevent the harmful materials from splashing up on it. It’s also recommended to always follow the manufacturer’s directions regarding the use of lawn care chemicals around the home or car.

Clean It

Over time, dirt, grime and environmental pollutants may accumulate on the siding. In addition, if the siding is located in a shady area that’s also prone to accumulating moisture, mildew or mold may grow on the material. Fiber cement siding is highly durable and generally rot-proof; however, wood sided homes may not fare as well.

Clean the siding about once or twice a year. Use a garden hose to gently spray the home, working from top to bottom. A power washer can also be used to clean the siding. However, avoid using the strongest setting of the power washer, as too much pressure could possibly damage the siding. Using a lower setting, quickly move the power washer over the siding.

These maintenance tips for siding will help the home look great. For more questions about siding, windows or roofing, contact Findlay Roofing today!

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