Once you get new vinyl siding, it’s astonishing how much your house transforms. If your home was outstanding for being one of the ugliest on the block, it is now probably one of the most beautiful ones. While siding does help with improving the aesthetics of your home, you will have to maintain it to keep it looking its best.
During the winter months, home exteriors are somewhat hidden with a layer of snow, ice or debris. And with spring on its way, your siding is sure to reveal some wear and tear after the snow melts away.
Here are some ways to ensure your siding looks as gorgeous as the first day after installation.
Keep Your Siding Clean
One of the most critical ways to keep your siding looking like new is to keep it clean. Over time, the outdoor elements may cover your crisp, fresh siding. You may see plenty of dirt on the exterior of your home, making it stick out like an eyesore.
Some other elements you may see are pockets of green algae, especially if you live in an area that is relatively damp most of the year. This green buildup on your home may also be pollen floating in the air, especially if you live near plenty of pine and oak trees. You may also see many critters making homes or nests on or around your siding, such as spiders and hornets.
If your siding doesn’t look as good as it did at installation, you must clean it. Most experts recommend that you wash your siding at least once a year.
However, if your home tends to get dirty quickly, it may be better to get it cleaned twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Regular cleaning helps ensure the vinyl’s durability and may allow it to last much longer than the expected 40 years.
Be Careful Who You Hire to Pressure Wash Your Siding
It is critical to apply plenty of care when pressure washing your siding, whether you decide to clean it yourself or hire a pressure washing company. Most siding is very durable and can withstand high winds and elements of nature striking it, such as small rocks and twigs. However, using the wrong cleaning equipment can severely damage your siding.
Pressure washing is the quickest and easiest way to wash your siding. If you use a pressure washer, use a soft-wash one with a low PSI between 1000 and 1900 designed to clean more delicate surfaces. Also, it is a good idea to use an environmentally friendly commercial detergent, such as Zep or Simple Green, to help clean your siding. You may also use dishwashing liquid diluted with water to do the job.
Get Damages Fixed Right Away
Your siding will likely sustain damage at some point. Cracks may form from high winds and rains, tearing the siding away from your home. Small puncture holes may form from hail damage or from using the wrong type of pressure-washing equipment.
Inspect your siding by walking around your home every six months. If your area experiences a major storm, immediately check for damages since your homeowner’s insurance policy may cover some of your damages. For instance, if your siding sustains hail damage, submitting a claim to your insurance company is a good idea since there are limitations on submitting a claim after a storm.
Whether you pay out of pocket or your insurance company covers the damages, you must contact a siding contractor to fix the issue. In most cases, they will patch up the problems or replace damaged areas of siding with new siding.
Avoid Ice Dams on Your Roof
You may be wondering why you should concern yourself with ice dams on your roof? Living in Michigan means snow and ice during the cold months. It’s not uncommon to see homes with ice dams, and what goes up must come down. Ice dams typically form on your roof when you don’t have proper insulation in your attic space.
The heat in your home lingers in the attic, which warms up the snow on your roof and creates heavy ice over various parts of your roof. Once this ice starts to melt, it may not do so uniformly. As it falls from your roof, it can cause damage to your siding.
Ideally, you can avoid ice dams by properly insulating your attic. However, if this isn’t in your budget, you can minimize ice dams by clearing snow off your roof. Some may use a snow rake to eliminate stagnated snow from the roof.
While others may stuff socks full of salt specially formulated for melting snow and place them strategically on the roof. Another option is to install deicing cables on your roof that you can turn on to help remove snow and ice from your roof.
Keeping ice off your roof will minimize damage to your siding and keep it looking its best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any other things I should do to keep my vinyl siding in tip-top shape?
Yes. Although vinyl is a very durable siding, you shouldn’t expose it to direct heat. Therefore, if you use outside cooking aids such as barbecue pits or grills, avoid using them near your vinyl siding. Also, avoid leaning shovels, rakes, or other outdoor tools against your siding. One more thing to consider is trimming your bushes and other vegetation near the house to prevent it from damaging your siding.
Is it ok to clean my siding using bleach?
Yes. However, properly dilute it to avoid the bleach damaging your vinyl siding. If you’re unsure how to dilute it properly, it’s best to clean only using a mild detergent and a low PSI pressure washer or leave the cleaning to professionals.
Home Improvement Contractors and Premier Siding Installation
Contact our Romulus area home improvement services for expert installation, repair and replacement of siding and all things on the exterior of your Michigan home. We specialize and only work with the best products in the industry so that investing in your home means you’re benefiting for the long term.
Need siding installation, a new roof or new gutters? Then Excel Home Improvement are the contractors to call. We provide Free Estimates and offer Financing for all your home improvement projects and needs.