Wood siding is a type of siding that is often recommended for it aesthetic appeal and when you see it, you won’t be surprised, however it is also one that does need some maintenance and may end up needing repair too. It not only looks beautiful but it’s also great at providing insulation, thereby lowering your energy bill. That way you ensure that your HVAC unit won’t need to work excessively during times of either very cold or very warm weather.
If maintained properly, it will not only provide beauty to your home but also do so for decades. As it is made of wood, there is however the risk that infestation invading it and you could end up having to get an exterminator out to help get rid of termites.
As well as doing the maintenance that wood siding contractors near you recommend that you do, it’s also important that you’re on the lookout for some of these different signs that could be indicative of problems. By getting problems treated as soon as you see them, they won’t have the time to get as big or costly to repair. Neglecting the siding is the easiest way to ensure that you will need to replace it early on.
Signs of Problems in Wood Siding
It’s a good idea that you inspect the siding twice a year the same way you would do occasional roofing inspections. We can promise you that it will not get cheaper to hire wood siding repair contractors later on. When there’s a problem of any kind on your siding, the earlier you fix it, the better it will be for you, which is why we encourage you to at least request quotes today from contractors.
To ensure that your wood siding is always in its optimum condition, do a yearly or bi-annual inspection and maintenance regularly. It is better to repair a small damage to your siding instead of waiting for it to get bigger, thinking that the repair fees paid to wood siding repair contractors will be worth it when the damage is already big.
- Water damage
This is often relatively easy to spot because it can be seen as a stain on the wood. Any sort of stains on the siding should be a warning sign, especially dark ones, and at the very least make sure that you get a contractor to come and check it out for you. It could simply be dirt, but likely isn’t which means it will need to be addressed. It’s often caused by a water leak somewhere that you will also need to have a plumber come out and check out.
If it’s a leak that is causing it, make sure to have it fixed as soon as possible, and you should also go ahead and take the time to make sure there are no roof leaks anywhere.
Water damage, no matter where it is at, will cost a lot of money to have repaired, so we cannot stress enough that it needs to be done as soon as possible. It not only has the possibility of affection the insulation but can also affect the foundation of the house and could end up causing structural issues.
Water damage is quite costly to repair; the bigger the damage, the higher the fees. Since it can also affect the insulation, interior walls and foundation of the house, you should ensure that the cause of water damage is determined and fixed instantly. This will also prevent other problems from sprouting like warping, rotting and pest infestation.
- Insect and pest infestation.
If you see anything even closely resembling pests, you need to get it inspected because it is once again one of the problems that will develop and if they start simply chewing away at the framing, you might find yourself in trouble. When that happens you’ll likely also need to get carpenters to come and help with repairing the damaged wood.
There are measures that a contractor can take in order to prevent that future infestations will happen and all the affected wood will need to be replaced. You can also get coats that are added and provide a protective layer, although they may need to be reapplied every couple of years. You can also get paint that will help repel pests.
- Inexplainable holes
The various reasons why there may be holes on the boards can be many. The siding is often fasted using nails and if you see a hole it could be that the board has loosened and is no longer sitting on the nails that it previously used to, which consequently will cause the board to warp, and it will no longer provide the protection against water. Such a situation leaves your home vulnerable and that is when water damage can happen.
The sooner you get professionals to fix it, the sooner you restore the protection. Improperly installed boards may give you the idea that the issues has been fixed and it could be that it visually looks repaired, although it in fact isn’t.
- Warped boards.
When boards start to warp it may not just be because it is no longer properly attached, but it could also be a moisture problem. When wood is exposed to a lot of moisture, it will cause the planks to swell and warp, which is also why people living in high humidity areas will need to do extra maintenance to the siding. If the moisture is coming from somewhere, it will need to be found and addressed.
It could be that it wasn’t caused by moisture and that improper installation is to blame for the warping. It should be installed so that it has optimal possibilities for shrinking and expanding. If you do not get this done by wood siding installation contractors, there’s a chance that it won’t be done properly.
- Mold and mildew growth.
These are not just things that aren’t nice to look at but they can be more serious problems than previously anticipated and can end up spreading to both the foundation and interior walls. It also won’t be healthy to be in a house that is full of mold.
When the situation has been dealt with, the contractor will also apply a protective coating to help limit the risk of it coming back.
- Insulation that does not seem to be working.
You may start noticing that your energy bill seems to increase with no explanation and that your HVAC system is running at full sped at all times, and this could very well be a sign that the wood siding is having trouble. As previously mentioned, if it’s been installed correctly and there are no issues, simply the siding in itself should provide good insulation, although it obviously does not mean that you shouldn’t have any other type of insulation.
As soon as holes start developing in the material, it is an easy way for the air to leak out, whether it is warm or cold. When you have concluded that it doesn’t seem to be the ducts nor the HVAC unit that is causing the sudden rise in your energy bill, check out the siding.
It’s important that you familiarize yourself with these signs of problems, whether you are about to install wood siding or already have, because it will allow you to address the problem sooner. You should not be waiting around once you start noticing these signs because the cost of repair will only increase.
You will save money by doing this sooner rather than later and you also contain the problem as early as possible so that other parts of the house won’t be affected.
Getting Free Estimates & Quotes For Your Wood Siding Project
The easy way to make sure you’re not paying too much when the wood siding either needs to be installed or repaired is by getting quotes from different contractors. All you need to do to make that happen is to take 2 minutes to fill out the form at the top of the page, which is completely free for you, and we’ll match you with the 4 most relevant contractors in your area that will then reach out to you to better understand the magnitude of the project.
They’ll then provide you with quotes with no obligation to you at all. If you like the quotes, you can simply sign with one of them and if not, you can simply pass. It’s that easy. What are you waiting for?