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Siding Replacement Answers For FAQs from Fairfield County, CT Homeowners
Siding is your home's first line of defense against everything from moisture incursion and pest infestations to weather and wildlife damage. (You may be imagining a deer charging your house, but if you have wood siding, you already know that the real problem is woodpeckers.)
When your siding is looking rather rough around the edges — and in the middle, for that matter — it has a negative impact on your home's curb appeal, but it's definitely not all about aesthetics. Damaged cladding can't do its job to protect your home, leaving it vulnerable to severe issues that affect structural stability of the building and even threaten the health of you and your family. It could also take a huge bite out of your bank account by making your home less energy efficient and increasing your utility bill.
A replacement siding installation by the service professionals at Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County will give you peace of mind that your home is secure and protected from damage. Whether you need siding repair or a complete siding replacement, you can trust our skilled handyman to deliver high-quality workmanship and excellent customer service.
What Types of Siding Are There?
When it comes to the common types of siding material, also known as cladding, there's a wide variety of popular siding options to choose from. You may be happy with the type of siding you currently have and want to replace it with the same material, but either way it's good to be aware of the differing choices available. Some popular options include:
Natural wood, including cedar shingles and clapboard
Engineered wood, including all-wood exterior-grade plywood siding
Vinyl
Fiber cement
Brick veneer and solid brick
Natural stone and stone veneer
Metal, including aluminum
Stucco
Are Soffit and Fascia Boards Part of Siding?
Soffits and fascia boards are technically part of your roof eaves, but they're sometimes considered siding. Fascia boards run along the edge of your eaves, parallel to the exterior walls, and soffit boards are on the underside of the eaves. They are traditionally made of wood or aluminum, but these days more builders and homeowners are choosing vinyl or PVC options for increased durability and ease of maintenance.
What Are the Signs of Siding Damage?
You may be wondering if your cladding is really bad enough to need replacement or if it's good to go for another season. Some damage is very obvious, but other signs are more difficult to spot. Walk around your house and examine the entire exterior carefully from as many angles as possible, looking for the following signs of trouble:
Cracks or Gaps
Cladding helps to form a barrier that prevents moisture from getting into the interior of your walls, so any kind of break, gap, nail holes, or missing piece of cladding is an invitation for water damage inside your walls. That moisture could cause severe problems such as mold, mildew, and wood rot. Cracks are also access points that allow rats and insects to get into your home — and bring dozens of their nasty little pals along with them. All cracks or gaps should be handled with timely siding repairs or replacement.
Increased Energy Costs
Has your energy bill been increasing, and you're not sure why? Chances are good that degraded cladding is to blame. Broken, damaged cladding compromises the insulation of your home, letting in cold air drafts that change the temperature inside and force your HVAC system to burn more energy to compensate. Siding replacement can save you a lot of money in the long run by lowering your monthly utility bill.
Warping and Bulging
This is the reason you need to examine your exterior walls from multiple angles. Signs of warping such as bulging outward or cupping inward can be difficult to spot at first, but the warping usually occurs as a result of moisture build-up and needs to be taken care of right away before damage worsens.
Interior Moisture Damage
When your moisture barrier has been compromised, there's no protection for the interior of your house and you may begin to see signs of water damage such as:
Water stains on the walls and ceilings
Rotting wood trim
Softened, crumbling drywall
Musty odors
Mold and mildew growth
When Should I Get Siding Replacement?
The best time for siding replacement is in the moderate seasons of spring and fall, or in early or late summer when the weather is mild — because cladding material can be affected by very hot or cold temperatures. You should also take the condition of your roof and windows into consideration, because if you need window repair or replacement, or roof replacement for that matter, those jobs should be completed before the cladding is replaced.
Can Vinyl Cladding Be Installed in Winter?
It's best to avoid putting vinyl up during the winter, because it can crack if it's installed during weather that's colder than around 40 degrees, and Connecticut usually stays colder than that during the winter. Because vinyl expands in the heat, it can be a perfectly even installation in cold weather, but when summer arrives the vinyl will expand and the sections will push together, causing them to buckle. Our recommendation is to save your vinyl installation for moderate seasons.
Can It Be Installed Over Top of Old Siding?
It's technically possible, but it's not the best practice for a few reasons. First, your existing cladding would need to be in great condition with no cracks, bulging, fading, or other signs of damage — and that's rarely the case when homeowners are thinking about replacement.
Second, by not removing the old cladding, you may miss trouble spots that would be revealed by taking it down. Nobody really wants to discover unexpected issues lurking under their home's exterior, but it's better to know about them and get them corrected before the damage worsens, rather than just covering them up with another layer of cladding.
Does Siding Replacement Increase Home Value?
Absolutely! Brand-new cladding is a big selling point, because it reassures prospective buyers that they won't need to worry about discovering unpleasant symptoms of cladding damage after they seal the deal. Siding replacement offers a good return on investment (ROI) and you can usually expect to recoup around 70% of your costs in the sale price of your home.
What Color Has the Best Resale Value?
If you're thinking of selling your house in the near future or just planning ahead for eventual resale, this should definitely be on your radar. There are a wide variety of colors available, but you want to choose one that will offer maximum appeal to prospective buyers, but also won't present a challenge to new homeowners. The best way to go about it is to stick with classic, neutral colors such as tan, gray, and off-white that blend in with the other houses in your neighborhood. Neutral, "dusty" gray-green or brown are also popular choices.
Count on Mr. Handyman for Expert Siding Replacement in Fairfield County CT
Whether you're in Westport, Ridgefield, New Canaan, or another part of Fairfield County CT, you can rely on the service professionals at Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County to deliver outstanding workmanship and customer care that goes above and beyond. Our experienced handymen will take care of your entire siding replacement so you can rest easy knowing your home is protected.
Give us a call today at 866-550-1710 to chat with our friendly customer service representatives and find out more about what we can do to enhance your home and make your life easier!
