Like your roof, your siding is an important part of your home’s defense against the elements. It protects your inside walls and your family from the harsh mid-Missouri weather. Not only that, but it also can provide curb appeal and increase the value of your home. When it comes to getting new siding, it’s important for you to know the siding replacement process.
At Expert Roofing & Exteriors, it is part of our customer commitment to make sure that you have access to the information that is important to you. Not only does it help you understand the process, but it insures that you can protect yourself from others who wish to take advantage of you.
Materials
Let’s start with the basics. Before any work begins on your siding replacement job, you must decide what kind of siding materials you want to use. There are 3 main materials that are used with most modern homes. Those three types are vinyl, cedar, and stone siding. We’ve outlined the various siding material types and how to choose the right one for your home before. You can find that information by clicking here.
The Siding Process
We typically take a week or so to re-side a house from start to finish. The total time it will take is hard to estimate without seeing the home and knowing how big it is. But, as a general rule of thumb about 1 week should allow enough time. Our siding experts understand that having your siding replaced can disrupt your daily life. That’s why we focus on getting the job done quickly and efficiently.
Step 1: Remove the old siding
The first step of siding replacement is to remove the old siding. Because of the important role that siding plays in the protection of your home, it’s necessary to remove the old siding to prevent unwanted damage. Some siding installers may try to convince you – or even recommend – that it is best to just put the new siding over the old, but that is simply not the case.
Step 2: Repair any wood that needs it
Once the siding is removed, we are able to see the quality of the wood under it. This is a great opportunity to make repairs on any sections of wall that have experienced exposure to moisture or have begun to rot. It will also give us an idea of where certain spots on the house might be more prone to leakage. Knowing these things can help us ensure that your siding installation is water tight and prevent further damage.
Step 3: Prep for new siding and add flashing
After any repairs have been made it’s time to start prepping the home for the new siding. The first thing we will do is wrap the home in a waterproof Tyvek material. This wall wrap will help protect the structure from any sort of moisture that may wiggle it’s way in. On top of that, because of how unpredictable mid-Missouri weather can be, it will help protect the walls that are without siding in the event that a storm rolls in before the job has been completed.
We do our best to have the job done ahead of any storms. However, sometimes mother nature has her own plans. That’s why we take the extra precaution of protecting your home from the unexpected.
Once the walls have been wrapped, we begin to apply flashing. Flashing is a metal that we add to areas where water infiltration is most likely to occur. Remember in step 2 where we were able to see previous damage? That can help us add flashing to places that might not be super obvious. Typically flashing will be applied to outside corners, inside corners, and sill areas. The main purpose of flashing is to help manage water behind the siding. Managing water behind the siding gives you unquestionable protection.
Step 4: Apply the starter strip and apply the siding
A starter strip is pretty self explanatory. It’s the first piece of siding put on and possibly the most important. Our experts ensure that this piece is straight and applied per all manufacturer standards. The starter strip is the apex of the entire siding replacement. The reason why is because if the starter strip starts out incorrect, every piece of siding applied after it will be incorrect too. And, it will be impossible to fix it later without starting the entire project over. Once the starter strip has been applied, checked, and double checked the rest of the siding will be applied to the home.
Step 5: Cleanup
We know that having a bunch of nails and debris in your yard can be hazardous for you, your family, and pets. As part of our commitment to unmatched customer service, we promise to leave your yard in better condition that we started. We don’t consider our job done when the siding is finished. Our job is done when you can’t even tell that we were there working.
Costs
The cost of siding a house can vary depending on a few factors. Those factors include the size of the home, the materials you choose, and if there are any repairs required prior to putting on the new siding. But, replacing the siding on your home is an important part of protecting the structure and can add curb appeal.
Do you have more questions about siding, siding materials, or the siding replacement process? We’ve got more siding answers. Be sure to check out our FAQ page where we address some of the top questions mid-Missourians have about the siding.
If you think it might be time to look at replacing the siding on your home, please don’t hesitate. Waiting to long can cause damage that can become a lot more expensive than simply replacing your. Our team of siding installers provide risk free assessments and quotes. You can request your free quote today by calling (573) 567-3177 or by using this contact form.
