NW Siding :: Maintenance - Learn how to maintain your wood and composite siding.

Maintaining Wood and Composite Siding

As part of a diligent maintenance program, a homeowner should do the following:

Check for nails that have penetrated the surface of the siding, small construction dents and gouges and impact damage. These must be filled with an exterior grade-patching compound and primed before finishing.
Maintain sealant at all penetrations for utilities, fixtures, and mounting fasteners
Maintain a clearance of six inches to one foot between the siding and all shrubs, trees, and plants.
Direct all sprinklers spray away from the siding and trim.
Keep the siding and trim free from mold, mildew and algae.
Maintain a six-inch minimum clearance between the siding and finished grade. Don't allow leaves, garden mulch, barkdust, or other landscaping material to build up to within six inches of siding bottom.
Keep surrounding soil and landscaping material sloped away from the foundation (one inch)per foot is recommended) so that water drains away from the house.
Remove and replace missing or damaged caulking around windows and doors, at abutment joints and any other area where there is an interface between dissimilar materials.
Have the siding repainted before the existing paint fails. Consult your paint manufacturer's recommendations for repainting.
Keep all window weep holes clear
Keep gutters and downspouts clear and in good repair so that water is diverted away from the siding.
Inspections of the siding and trim ARE ESSENTIAL component of a successful maintenance program.

Paint - Look for cracking, peeling, fading or chalking. Be sure to inspect the bottom courses, drip edges and under window casings.
Joints and seams - Look for cracking or missing sealant.
Exterior envelope - Look for signs of pest and dry-rot infestation
Flashings and gutters - Look for damage or blockage