Vinyl siding is one of the most popular sidings for homes. It’s low maintenance, can last decades, and comes in various price points. But it also comes in various degrees of quality.
Vinyl can vary in thickness and flexibility, which determines how well it withstands impact and the effects of the weather. But eventually, most vinyl siding will experience a dink, crack, or hole that will need to be repaired. Quick action on your part can prevent bigger and more expensive problems later.
What causes damage?
As mentioned, quality plays an important role in how well your vinyl siding holds up, with thicker and sturdier siding withstanding more stress. Nonetheless, problems can occur.
An impact is often the cause of damage. Philadelphia and nearby areas can experience some pretty harsh weather that can beat on your siding. Higher quality and newer siding can often withstand the assault of Mother Nature, but debris from high winds or a falling limb may be too much to ask from any siding. Sometimes a rock thrown by a lawnmower or a misdirected baseball can cause a nasty dink.
The changing seasons also take their toll. Strong sunlight can weaken and fade siding, but around here the bigger culprit is the cold. When the temperatures drop below freezing, vinyl gets brittle, and it takes much less to cause it to crack and break.
Problems can also occur with your home or installation. The shifting and settling of your home can cause your vinyl siding to shift and possibly crack, and poor installation causes all sorts of problems. Finally, it could just be that your siding is getting old and it’s time for it to be replaced.
Can I repair it?
Many homeowners can save themselves money and future problems by quickly addressing small dinks or damage to siding. It’s critical to act quickly, though. Your siding’s job is to keep your home watertight, warm, and safe. Openings of any kind in your siding or around windows or doors invite in a host of problems, including mold, mildew, leaks that can damage the house’s structure, and pests that can do serious damage.
If you see a small crack or dink in your siding, or if you notice when it happens, you can fix it yourself if you’re handy. You can fill a small hole with caulk or repair a larger hole with a spare piece of siding. To patch a broken area using extra siding, cut a piece of matching siding larger than the hole or dink. Apply caulk all the way around the damaged area as well as to the back of the patch. Carefully cover the broken siding with the patch and apply pressure to ensure a good seal.
If you don’t know how long the hole or crack has been there, or if you see several damaged areas, it may be best to carefully remove the damaged sheet of siding and look for signs of moisture or damage underneath, which would indicate a larger problem.
When should I get professional help?
If you’re handy and the problem is small and new, you should be able to patch the damage yourself. However, if you don’t know how long the damage has been there, the damage is extensive, or you have reason to believe moisture has seeped into your home, it is best to call us for a free consultation. We will determine how extensive the problem is. A small repair job is not very expensive, and you will have peace of mind knowing that it was done right and there is no further concern. However, if we do find additional problems, you’ll know that we have the expertise to fix them and prevent further damage to your home. Call us here at M&K Renovations, (610) 353-2895, for all your siding and home repair or renovation needs.