Common Kansas City Siding Problems You Need To Deal With

The demand for siding in the US is expected to grow by two percent annually, reaching a staggering 105.8 million squares by 2023. This rising demand for siding will be spurred in part by the increasing home renovation activity.

The right siding can greatly boost your home’s aesthetic appearance, besides protecting your home from the harsh elements. But, like every other component in your home, your home’s siding is bound to encounter problems that call for repairs or even an entire siding replacement.

So, what siding problems do homeowners in Kansas City encounter most often? More importantly, how can you prevent them or address them when they occur?

Read on to learn more.

Cracks

Just about every siding material is susceptible to this problem, with vinyl arguably being the most vulnerable. Cracks may be caused by a variety of things and come in all sizes. Your siding may suffer a tiny crack as a result of a singular impact or have an entire panel ripped off during a violent storm.

Falling tree limbs, hail, sports balls, and rocks are just some of the projectiles that threaten the integrity of your siding.

Where the cracks are small, fixing the issue is an easy affair. You can repair the crack yourself using a simple patch kit. For more extensive cracks, it may be advisable to talk to a siding repair expert near you. 

Fading and Peeling Paint

Over the years, your siding will start to fade. If the siding has a coat of paint, you may notice that the paint starts to peel as well. The resulting appearance is far from appealing. As your home loses its curb appeal, its value starts to go down as well.

Thankfully, this problem is easy to fix. All you need is a fresh paint job to get your siding looking glam once more.

So, what causes fading and peeling? In most cases, the sun’s UV rays are to blame. Not dealing with the issue promptly can lead to more problems, as moisture can creep in and cause water damage that cannot be fixed using a paintbrush.

Where the peeling is significant, your siding contractor may have to scrap it all away before applying a fresh coat of paint. Doing so helps remove all signs of fading, besides sealing and weatherproofing the siding.

Noisy Siding

A noisy siding can keep you and your family up at night. You may hear creaks, rattles, and pops.

Generally, a noisy siding is the result of a lousy siding installation job. It may be that the siding installers placed the siding against your home in a manner that didn’t leave room for the vinyl to contract and expand with temperature fluctuations. Thus, the pops and cracks you now hear emanate from the siding fighting to expand.

Sometimes, the siding is hung too loose. When the wind blows against it, you’ll hear annoying rattles.

The best solution for a noisy home siding is to talk to a reputable siding company to fix any installation issues your siding has. 

Buckling and Warping

Buckling and warping are mostly associated with vinyl siding. Homeowners who choose James Hardie Siding hardly ever report this issue.

But what exactly makes vinyl siding warp and buckle? Poor installation is often the culprit. Without enough room to contract and expand as temperatures fluctuate, your siding ends up warped and buckled.

Prevent this issue by working with a licensed and experienced siding contractor from the outset.

Pests

The pest problem affects wood siding above any other type of siding. Insects and critters find a comfortable home in such siding. In particular, you need to worry about termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, and carpenter bees.

What makes pests so dangerous is that most of the destruction they cause happens inside the boards. It’s hardly possible to see it from the exterior, sometimes until it’s too late.

Regularly and carefully examine your siding for any signs of pest damage. Be sure to use top-quality pesticides to get rid of these intruders.

Moisture Damage

One of the reasons you install siding is to avert water damage at home. Siding keeps moisture from getting to your home’s outer walls.

But what happens if the siding itself suffers water damage? The problem can begin to extend to the wall and frames of your home. It’s the reason you need to address the issue right away.

One of the clearest signs of moisture damage on your siding is rotting on the wood planks if you’ve installed wood siding. Have an expert remove the rotted area and replace it with new boards.

Of course, if the rot is extensive, you can opt to replace the entire siding. This time, opt for a more waterproof siding material, such as fiber cement. 

Poor Energy Efficiency

While most siding problems are physical and thus easy to spot, others sneak under the radar. For instance, you may notice that your energy bills are on the rise, although your energy usage hasn’t changed.

A sharp increase in energy costs during the winter could indicate that your home has issues with energy efficiency. These issues could be emanating both from your home’s siding and insulation.

Have an experienced siding contractor assess your current siding and advise you on the ideal insulated siding solution for the house.

Bad Maintenance Habits

Finally, you may have a siding problem due to your lax maintenance habits.

Every siding requires regular inspection and maintenance. If you leave nicks and scratches on the surface of your home’s siding for years, you make it more susceptible to moisture damage.

To maintain your home’s siding and keep these problems at bay, consider hiring a siding contractor to inspect your home’s exterior once every year or after every severe weather. With their help, you can detect any problems before they become too big and expensive to fix.

Deal With the Most Common Siding Problems in Kansas City

Your siding is an essential component of your home, helping protect it from the weather, conserve energy, and look fabulous. But when problems start to attack it, its functionality and appearance are compromised. Knowing what issues are likely to afflict your siding can help you take proactive measures to prevent them or tackle them when they show up.

Are you interested in reliable and affordable siding replacement or installment services in Kansas City? Please, contact US Quality Construction today and learn how we might help.