While we wait for a vaccine to be available, the best thing we can do to help fight COVID-19 is to stay home and maintain social distancing. But let’s face it, staying home is not as exciting as it sounds. Sure we’d like to do it every once in a while for a day or two, but for several weeks? Especially if you are a constant traveler and you spend more time at the workplace that at home, this can be an entirely strange experience for you.
Look on the bright side, though. You can use this downtime to do some home repair and maintenance. Not only will that fight off boredom, but you’ll be using your time productively as well. One of the best things you can do is to fix or replace your siding. When was the last time you’ve updated your home’s exterior? We all know that winters in Illinois can be particularly harsh. If you haven’t done any house siding repair yet since spring set in, now is the best time to do it, or at least before things get back to normal.
Repair or Replace?
Unless you’ve replaced some portions of your siding not so long ago, it is safe to assume that the whole siding, from the backerboard and buttlock to the head flashing and finishing strip, age at the same time. Age, however, is probably the least of your concerns when assessing the condition of your siding, as there are other factors that can affect its functionality.
The rule of thumb when doing siding repair or replacement is if a piece of siding doesn’t have any serious damage, it can be fixed. So before you start dismantling your siding and installing a new one, make sure to carefully inspect each board for damage. You don’t want to rip to pieces boards that are still in good condition and can serve you for another couple of years. Remove only the ones with large cracks or are heavily worn down.
Basic Siding Repair and Replacement Tips
Remember when the company who installed your siding told you to have spare pieces in your shed? As it turns out, that advice is extremely handy, especially in times like this when you have to bite the bullet to get supplies. So if you have some boards in stock, it’ll be easy to pull off this siding repair and replacement project. All that is left is to learn how to do it.
If you’re only replacing several damaged boards, the job takes no assistance from a professional. But if you are replacing the entire siding on even just one side of your home exterior, you might want to rethink your plan and get help from experts in siding installation in Chicago, such as Muller Exteriors.
Siding repair or replacement consists of two main tasks—removing the damaged board and installing a new one.Using the claw of your hammer, pull the nails at the corner cap to loosen up the damaged board. Carefully pry the side of the board with a utility knife to detach it from the buttlock of its adjacent board, and with the claw of your hammer split the board down the center to finally take it out. In fact, standard siding designs have the boards connected to the underlayment mainly by the nails, so once all the nails have been removed from the adjoining board, the board being removed should just pull out.
Fit in place the replacement board and nail the ends first. That’ll make hammering the rest of the nails much easier. Make sure to use galvanized nails, because these are harder and more resistant to corrosion than typical nails. As much as possible, nail on the existing holes on the adjacent siding to avoid damaging that siding. The overlapping structure of the siding boards, along with the waterproof layers underneath them, keeps your home moisture-free and gives added insulation.
Can You Hire a Professional at This Time?
As mentioned earlier, you should hire a professional if your siding requires major repair or total replacement. But is there anyone available right now? Certainly, most service providers have closed down temporarily, but there are companies like Muller Exteriors that still operate because their methods involve the use of technology that allows them to repair or replace siding or windows without entering your home or a building.
Specifically, they use satellite imaging to obtain accurate measurements of your home or building without visiting your property. They can remotely provide you with a detailed scope of work as well as a precise service quotation, so there’s no need for you to go to their office or to invite them over to your home to conduct an in person inspection. During the actual repair or replacement, you can rest assured that none of the workers will ever need to enter your house, and they’ll be instructed to interact with you only if necessary and at a safe distance. After all, siding, window and roof work can all be done outside.
This lock-down period can prove useful in terms of giving people the time to do things they could hardly do because of their busy schedule. If you use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity wisely, you’ll be able to achieve many things. Learning how to repair siding on a house is just one of those things. There are a lot more that you are free to discover and try out. Then again, if something seems too much for you and there’s a chance you’ll do more harm than good to your home, hire any of the best siding and roofing companies in Chicago to do it.
