What to Do Before Replacing Siding | Best Pick Reports

Purchasing new siding for your home is a decision with major significance, both aesthetically and functionally. Unlike a fresh paint job or decorating scheme, new siding is something youll likely commit to for many years.

By making the right decisions regarding color and material, your siding will be a source of pride whenever you pull into your driveway. Keep reading for a rundown of what to consider when purchasing new siding for your home.

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Siding replacement has a great return on investmentyoull recoup approximately 93 percent of the money you spend on the projectso its almost never a bad decision. But since siding work does involve a significant financial investment, its worth waiting until replacement is truly necessary.

Here are a few tips to help you determine whether your existing siding needs to be replaced:

Using a screwdriver, poke beneath the warped siding and note how firm the layer under the siding feels. If this layer feels rotted in any way, its probably time to replace your siding.

Peeling paint or sagging wallpaper indoors may indicate that your aging siding is allowing moisture to seep beneath it and into your wallboard. The moisture can damage your homes interior walls, so its something you should get checked out as soon as possible.

Another sign that your siding allows too much moisture into your homes walls is the presence of mold or mildew on the exterior of your siding. While its not always a sign of failing siding, mold or mildew often signifies additional issues. Call in a pro for further investigation.

Dry rot, one of the more common problems with wood siding, is not always visible to the naked eye. To detect it, tap various areas of the siding with the bottom of a screwdriver or hammer to expose an area that has succumbed to dry rot, as only the topmost layer of siding will be intact. Pay special attention to areas around windows, doors, and protrusions, such as chimneys and porches.

If you find any areas of dry rot, you may be able to get away with just replacing the damaged sections, especially if the rest of the siding is in good shape. Depending on your homes age, the condition of the rest of the siding, and the extent of the dry rot, however, your contractor may recommend a full replacement.

Since dry rot may compromise the structural integrity of your home, this is an area where youll want to defer to the experts.

The color of your siding has no impact on how well the material protects your home from the elements, but there are some things you should think about before you commit to one shade over another.

What colors predominate in your neighborhood? While that canary yellow might have looked sharp in a magazine, you may not want your home to stick out too much in the context of your neighborhoods palette.

Remember too that your neighborhood or homeowners association may have rules on the books regarding color options. Dont risk a fine or a lawsuit: do your due diligence before deciding on a bright or unexpected paint color.

If you live in a hot climate, you may want to consider siding in a lighter shade that wont absorb as much heat as a darker shade. Lighter colors do a better job of reflecting the suns rays, which helps you save energy and money as you keep your home cool in the summer.

Notice the colors of your doors and window frames, and try to imagine your new siding juxtaposed with those. Better yet, ask your contractor for samples of the siding products youre considering in the colors you like. Take a few days to look at the samples in different lights. Do the colors complement each other?

If youre planning on changing the trim color or making other exterior home updates in the future, consider how your homes new color and design scheme will harmonize with your siding.

Think carefully about how the material you select is related to its color. Wood siding, for example, will need to be repainted in the future, so youll have the opportunity to change its color. Aging vinyl siding, on the other hand, is much harder to paintand modern vinyl siding products should not be painted at all.

Naturally, material is one of the biggest decisions youll have to make when you replace house siding. There are many options to choose from, and the best choice will depend not only on the benefits youd like to get from the siding but also on how much maintenance youre willing to take on.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you decide:

If all the homes on your block have the same kind of siding, choosing a different type ofsiding for your home might have a negative effect on the market value of your house.

Ask your contractor what type of siding would be best suited to your climate, taking into account not only heat and humidity but also the probability of termites. You may also want to consider insulated siding if energy efficiency is a top concern.

Most siding products made from synthetic materials (or combinations of natural fibers and synthetic bonding agents) are low maintenance. As long as you keep shrubs and vining plants from growing too close to your house and neighborhood kids dont start up a baseball game in your yard, the most youll need to do is give the siding an annual rinse with your garden hose, removing any stains with a gentle scrub.

Wood siding will require the most maintenance, and youll need to budget for a new paint job approximately every five years. If you opt for factory-painted fiber cement siding, expect to need a new paint job every fifteen years or so; factory-primed fiber cement will likely need repainting after approximately ten years, but this varies on climate as well as the quality of the exterior paint.

If youre in the final steps of deciding to replace the siding on your house, youre probably well aware of your budget. Siding isnt cheap, but its an aspect of your home where you truly do get what you pay for.

High-quality siding that is professionally installed adds significant value to your home. Heres what to keep in mind as you make your decisions:

Most importantly, work with a licensed, reputable siding contractor to make sure that you get the best product and installation for your investment. All Best Pick siding companies are fully vetted and covered by state-required licenses and insurance policies for your protection. When you work with a Best Pick, youll be pleased with the entire experiencewe guarantee it.

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What to Do Before Replacing Siding | Best Pick Reports