Simple Vinyl Siding Maintenance Will Save Money In The Long Run
"Vinyl siding eventually needs to be cleaned
"Vinyl siding eventually needs to be cleaned. Weather, neighborhood kids throwing balls and shooting BB guns, tree limbs banging during storms and a multitude of other natural and man-made siding disasters occur. Though the obvious damage catches your immediate attention you may not notice smaller vinyl siding repairs that need to be made until you're cleaning your siding.
Vinyl Siding Repair Inspection Checklist
Don't overlook the details while you're scrubbing and power spraying. Here's what you need to check.
Vinyl siding panels. The most obvious damage will be on the long horizontal panels. Check them from the foundation all the way up to the soffit. Look for dents, cracks and loose pieces. Panels will sometimes inexplicably shift sideways and leave gaps between sections. Check for panels that are loose and not firmly connected to the wall.
Vinyl soffit panels. Look up as you go. Make sure your soffit is all there and hasn't blown away. Check for drooping spots, insect nests and apparent water damage that indicates a water routing problem or at worst a leaking roof.
Undersill trim. This is easily overlooked. Undersill trim is the horizontal piece bordering the top vinyl siding panel and the inside corner of the soffit. The trim can pop off in the wind or just work its way loose over time.
Corner posts. Look for dingers all the way up to the soffit. The corner post takes a lot of punishment from those walking by with tools, kids carrying bats and being pulled away by loose siding panels.
J-Channel. The thin sections of J-Channel around the windows should be inspected carefully for indications of insects and leakage. Make sure it's tight and doing its job.
Take a few minutes to inspect your vinyl siding. Make needed minor siding repairs before they become serious."