What to Know About Replacing Your Siding

If you have siding, it’s one of the most important elements of the exterior of your home. Your siding plays a role in protecting your home, insulating and supporting it, and also ensuring that it has curb appeal.

Over time, siding will begin to show signs of damage and general wear and tear. This is normal, but replacing it can be an expensive project that’s a big undertaking, so how do you know when it’s time?

The following is a guide to replacing siding that can help you figure out what’s next.

How Long Does Siding Last?

Siding is the first line of defense for your home against the elements, and at the same time, it deflects the weather conditions that surround you.

There are many types of siding, and they vary in terms of how long they last and what type of maintenance is required.

For example, wood siding is beautiful and often inexpensive, but it also requires the most maintenance and upkeep. Under ideal circumstances, it can last for decades, but to get that type of longevity, you have to clean it regularly.

You have to inspect it frequently, too, for signs of mold, rot, and pests. If you find anything, you have to quickly work to limit the damage.

Source: sunshinecontractingcorp.com

Aluminum siding can last for decades, but the enamel isn’t likely to be as durable.

Vinyl siding is popular, and it has some of the aesthetic features of wood siding but with much easier upkeep. You don’t have to refinish it or really maintain it in any way.

Vinyl siding gets dirty, but you can simply rinse it with a garden hose.

Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Siding

Depending on the material, some of the signs it could be time to replace your siding include:

• You’re noticing cracks. It’s normal to see some small cracks, but if the crack is bigger than around an inch, it could be problematic in terms of handling the elements and weather conditions. You should think about replacing the affected area, particularly if you get a lot of extreme weather where you live.
• You notice mold or mildew. You need to work quickly if there’s mold growing in your house, which occurs when moisture gets through the cracks and holes of your siding.
• Some siding can warp because of rain or sun exposure.
• Siding will typically show signs of wear and tear, but if a lot of age is showing, or your siding is more than 20 years old, it might need to be replaced. Your home can go through structural changes that affect the installation and attachment to your house.
• Once you’re spending a lot of time or money maintaining your siding, it might be a better financial choice to replace it.
• If your home’s foundation is experiencing damage like sinking walls or cracks, it might be due to your siding not being installed properly or needing to be replaced.
• If you have wood siding and it seems like it’s rotting, it can attract termites and lead to damage to the structure of your home.
• If your energy bills seem to be soaring and you can’t figure out why your siding could be playing a role. When it’s damaged, it can’t protect your home from the elements, and that means your HVAC system has to work harder.
• If you find any signs of interior moisture, you should try and figure out the source.

Financial Considerations

It’s not necessarily cheap to replace your siding, but the project can give a significant return on your investment. In fact, siding replacement tends to have among the highest average ROI rates of any home improvement project, so if you think you might sell at any time in the relatively near future, siding replacement can be worth it.

If you replace your current siding with vinyl, your estimated ROI is 80%. Replacing with wood siding gives you an average ROI of 77%, and aluminum siding is also an ROI of 77%.

Which Replacement Material Should You Choose?

We talked briefly about the material options above, but if you’re going to replace what you have currently, how do you decide on new material?

Source: remodelmm.com

Again, vinyl is going to give you the lowest prices the most color options, and it also tends to be easiest to install and maintain. The average cost per square foot is anywhere from $1 to $8. You have to think about the surroundings of your home, though. If every other home in the neighborhood uses wood or stone, and you use vinyl, you could be lowering your home’s value.

Fiber cement siding is another option available.

Fiber cement siding is made of a combination of concrete, sand, and cellulose. The material is pre-primed and pre-painted and comes at a higher cost than vinyl.

If you think you need to replace your siding, it’s best to talk to a professional before making any decisions.