How Do You Know It’s Time to Replace Your Siding?

Your siding is an important part of the structure of your home—along with your roof, it protects you and your family from the elements, helps keep warm air inside in the winter and cool air inside in the summer, and plays an important role in the overall look and appeal of your house.

Just like with your roof, your siding may need to be replaced if it is damaged, but how do you know when it’s really time to move forward with a replacement? In this article, we’ll provide some of the most significant signs that your siding is ready to be replaced.

1.       Areas of the siding are cracked and warped.
Perhaps the most obvious sign, siding that has been cracked or warped is clearly in need of replacement. Several factors can cause siding to crack and warp, with most having to do with the wear and tear siding takes over time and exposure to the elements. Heat, cold, wind, rain, hailstorms, and other environmental factors all take their toll over the years, eventually making replacement necessary. Of course, damage can also occur through accidents or events not related to aging, like a tree falling against your house.


2.       Holes, blistering, gaps and other signs of aging.
In addition to cracks in your siding and warped boards, aging and other factors can lead to holes, blistering, gaps, and more. Blistering or bubbles are a sign that your siding has lost its ability to protect your home, and that moisture has gotten under the boards and is trapped there. Holes can be particularly unpleasant as they may indicate the presence of insects.


3.       Rot.
One of the reasons rot is such a difficult problem is because it’s entirely possible for your siding to be rotted without it looking any different on the outside. Rot eats away at the interior of the siding, so while the exterior may not show any obvious signs of distress, if you tap against the siding and it gives way or feels soft, you can be sure that rot exists behind the surface.


4.       Signs of mold and mildew.
In addition to causing damage to your physical space, mold and mildew can present a serious health hazard, and any instance of a growth on your siding should be investigated. Mold and mildew flourish when moisture is present, so the growth of mold and mildew on siding is an indication that the siding’s ability to provide a protective barrier against moisture has been compromised.

5.       Increasing energy bills.
In a previous article we discussed how increasing energy bills can be an indicator that windows may need to be replaced. For the same reasons, higher energy bills can be a sign that your siding is not doing its job. If your energy bills are going up and the windows are not to blame, check out the condition of your siding—it may be losing its ability to keep your heated or cooled air inside your home.

These are just a few of the signs to look for to determine if your siding is in need of being replaced. Talk to a trusted roofing and siding professional today to make sure your siding is up to the important task of keeping you and your family comfortable, safe, and secure!

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