We understand that replacing vinyl siding is an investment in your home, which is why we’re offering our tips for continued maintenance.
Vinyl siding can last between 20 and 40 years when given proper maintenance. As a siding supply company, we know how to make the exterior of your home last.
Continue reading to learn how to protect your vinyl siding so it lasts for decades.
Trim Branches
Do you have shrubs or trees growing close to your home? If so, you’ll need to trim branches so they don’t scrape against your new vinyl siding. Even the will eventually wear from branches knocking against it in the wind. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to protect your vinyl siding from this type of damage by trimming errant branches.
Ants and other insects love to use branches like bridges to crawl underneath house siding. Your vinyl siding protects the exterior of your home from the elements, making it the perfect place for insects to burrow in and nest. While vinyl siding is resistant to insects, it’s not invincible. Trim branches as soon as possible before insects call your home theirs.
Grill at Least 10 Feet from Home
Vinyl house siding will melt if it’s too close to your grill or other heat sources. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends you grill at least 10 feet away from your home to avoid melting vinyl siding or even starting a fire. Your vinyl house siding will last so much longer when it doesn’t have to withstand the heat from your next backyard barbeque.
While it’s rare, vinyl siding can also melt if your neighbors have high-efficiency windows. This is because the UV rays bounce off their windows only to blast your vinyl siding with the sun’s heat. If this is the case, ask your neighbor if they could install window screens or awnings to help diffuse the reflected sunlight.
Schedule Vinyl Siding Repair
As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to schedule as soon as you notice something’s wrong. For example, you should call a contractor as soon as possible if you notice vinyl siding panels starting to melt, warp, or buckle.
Vinyl siding expands and contracts with temperature. For this reason, you should be able to move siding panels a little from side to side. That way, the material has enough room to expand in high temperatures without buckling. Leaving repairs to the future can cost you more money in the long run, which is why it’s important to schedule vinyl siding repair.
We’re always more than happy to answer any questions you might have about our building materials. We want to see you make the right decision for your home and budget, which starts by giving you the information you need.
Eikenhout is a that is dedicated to helping homeowners and contractors find high-quality building products for their next project. If you are interested in our inventory of residential and commercial building supplies, please feel free to call any of our nine Michigan locations.
