Top 10 Signs You Need to Replace Your Richmond, VA Home’s Siding

Is your Richmond, Virginia home’s siding looking a little lackluster? It may be time to replace it. Read on to learn 10 signs you need to replace your home siding.

Are you staring at your home feeling like it needs something but you’re not quite sure of what? The answer most likely lays with your siding, and while it goes under the radar with some homeowners, its definitely something that shouldn’t go ignored.

Siding does wear out. It breaks, cracks, and just becomes faded and hideous to look at after a while. It can even start to leak, when that happens it can be expensive to fix. You might be asking how can I tell when my siding is going bad?

Luckily for you, there are some telltale signs that you can go by. Here are ten signs that your home siding in Richmond, VA isn’t what it used to be.

1. The Home Needs to be Painted Frequently

If your home needs a new paint job every five to six years, this is a sign there is something up with your siding.

Good home siding can keep its shape and color for eight years or more. If you find that after 5 your paint starts to chip, peel, or crack, this is a sign that a replacement is in order.

2. Bubbling or Blistered Siding

Bubbling and blistering can occur when the sides of the house are exposed to a large amount of heat and moisture. If they weren’t there when the siding was installed then they really shouldn’t be there now.

Work with your contractor of choice to replace the infected areas and find out what caused the problem and how to avoid it happening again. They will be able to give you any information that you need.

3. Hail Damage

The elements are never kind to housing, hail is especially cruel to personal property.

Chipping, denting, and cracking is all evidence that this natural phenomenon has paid a visit to your home. Considering that siding is the protective barrier that keeps the elements from damaging your home further, it’s best to replace the siding as soon as it starts showing signs of damage.

4. You’ve Got High Energy Costs

When you get your energy bill in the mail and it’s higher than most Richmond home owners bills, this might be a sign that your siding needs to be replaced.

Insulation is found in your attic as well as your walls for sure so it’s important to know how to tell which one is causing the issue.

Poorly performing siding and low-grade insulation is the prime culprit for high energy costs. Visually inspect your walls as well as the crack where the wall meets the roof.

Did you find any gaps there? If so, there is a chance that heating and cooling could be escaping through them.

5. Damage from Wildlife

If you live in a wooded area there is a chance that you’ve got some furry friends hiding away under your siding.

Birds, mice, and squirrels all seek warmth during the Winter and your home is the perfect source of comfort and heat. If you have wood siding or old vinyl it might be time you made the switch to modern vinyl to protect your home from these little moochers.

6. You’ve Got a Serious Case of Rot

The point of siding is to protect you and your family from the elements. If it has given in to rot then it can no longer do that. There is good news and bad news about this.

The good news is if the rot is only in a concentrated area all you have to do is replace the siding that falls into it.

The bad news is if it’s spread out in more than one place then there is nothing that can be done and you will have to start over with completely new siding. If you do have to start over don’t be sad.

Let the loss of the siding build you into a stronger person. Next time, go with a rot-resistant material.

7. Fungus, Mildew, and Mold Buildup

Any type of growth such as mold, especially at the seams of the siding, is a strong indicator that water is penetrating it and being held hostage inside the wall.

While it’s being held inside, it is slowly released causing the unwanted growth that you’re looking at. Not all signs of fungus is a cause for alarm but you probably should look into it further just to be safe.

8. Cracked Siding

Cracked siding is how the water gets in to create that gross fungus. The cracks can cause several problems down the road.

Just like with the rot, you’re in luck if it’s only a few pieces of the siding. You can replace those. If it’s several areas around your home though, you should consider just replacing all of it.

9. Loose Siding

There are several reasons why your siding may become loose. The installation of the siding could have been bad or wind could have knocked them loose.

Regardless of what caused the problem, you will need to fix it quickly because loose siding cannot protect you.

10. Extremely Faded Siding

Nothing last forever, especially your siding. It has a life expectancy and most siding is set up to only hold color for as long as its lifespan.

If it’s so old that the color is fading then the waterproof factor of it has probably faded out with it. Faded color doesn’t mean the siding is completely down for the count, but you should look after it.

Home Owners in Richmond Can Replace Your Siding Today

Bad home siding not only looks gross to onlookers but is also a huge hazard for you and your family. If you spot any loose or cracked siding then you need to look into a replacement right away. In some cases, you won’t have to replace all of it but you need to at least fix the issue at hand.

If you’re ready for a home siding replacement, contact us today for information.