Siding
Siding Maintenance by Eric Badgley
Vinyl siding is popular, and a satisfactory siding, but it is more prone to mechanical damage than most other sidings. It is vulnerable to dings and damage from lawn mowers, weed eaters, baseballs, etc. As the ads say, it might not require painting, but as the material ages, and receives more ultraviolet exposure from the sun, it gets brittle.
Heat is another issue. Often homebuyers will see a wavy pattern to the vinyl and ask a realtor what the problem is. This very noticeable problem is usually apparent at a patio or a deck and the answer is, almost always, that someone placed a hot barbecue against the wall. The vinyl melted - remember that vinyl is plastic so it melts at a comparatively low temperature. Suppliers of vinyl siding will tell you that, in the summer months when outdoor barbecuing is popular, they sell lots of replacement product. Experienced firefighters have told me that, often, homes clad with vinyl siding - located near homes that have major fires - also end up with warped and shriveled siding that is melted and requires immediate replacement. Homeowners, purchasing homes with vinyl siding, need to realize that even though it is advertised as never requiring a paint job it is, by no means, a maintenance free product.
About the Author
This article was produced by the writing team of Eric Badgley & Angee Gardner; specializing in Sudden Valley Real Estate and Birch Bay Real Estate, along with Bellingham Home Inspector. Making sure buyers are protected.
