Winter Maintenance Tips for Your Siding

November 30, 2021

Maintaining vinyl siding or wood siding in the winter can be a challenge, but it’s well worth your time and effort. Sun, snow, ice, rain and hail can all take a toll on your siding. If you want your home to remain beautiful and structurally sound, make a plan to maintain your vinyl or wood siding.

Here are our best winter maintenance tips for your home’s siding.

Vinyl siding

Vinyl siding can become brittle in the cold, so avoid getting new vinyl siding installed in the wintertime. It’s a popular siding material since it requires so little maintenance, even in the snow and ice.

To properly maintain your vinyl siding, avoid painting it. Not only can that void your warranty, but winter isn’t a great time of year to do any sort of exterior painting. The weather is too volatile—and you’d probably rather be inside sipping hot chocolate instead. Plus, painting your siding may void the warranty. If your siding doesn’t last during the full warranty period, you’ll want to get it replaced, repaired or refunded.

The best way to maintain your siding is to wash it before the weather gets too cold. A power washer is one of the fastest and easiest ways to clean your entire home’s exterior. Washing off the dust, grime and any mold, moss or mildew will brighten up your home’s appearance.

If you plan to do any exterior work during the winter, plan to cover your vinyl siding. While modern siding is designed to resist fading and discoloration, stains and sealants can discolor the siding while you work. It’s also smart to cover it when you’re spraying herbicides and pesticides.

Wood siding

When it comes to maintaining wood siding, remember that water is the enemy. Your wood siding is prone to rot. Make a point to walk around your entire home at least once a month to check for rot, especially if you’ve been getting a lot of snow, ice or rain. Look for peeling paint, which can indicate the wood underneath is damp and rotting.

If you notice any rotting, call a siding professional for replacement as soon as possible. With any luck, you’ll only need to replace a few pieces of the siding. The sooner you call for help, the less likely the rot is to spread elsewhere on your home.

You should also keep an eye out for chipping or cracking paint in general. While it might be a sign of rot, it could also be a sign of insect infestation and other problems. Have a professional inspect the siding to ensure that there’s no damage.

Finally, make sure to keep any fire sources away from wooden siding. Whether you’re frying a turkey outdoors or starting a bonfire, wood is flammable. Keep a wide berth, and have fire extinguishers or other extinguishing methods on hand.

With a little extra care, your siding will survive the winter flawlessly. If you need new vinyl or wood siding, be sure to call the team at Wes-Kan Siding Windows & Doors today.

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