I Like To Exterior Services

What fails on a house, why it fails, and what it should cost

Home/Siding

Walls and cladding

Siding — problems, causes and costs

Most siding trouble is about water getting behind the cladding, not the cladding itself. Find what you’re seeing below. Several of these are yours to handle without calling anyone, and we say which ones.

877-360-4657What siding costs
Quick answerSiding fails in a few predictable ways: the finish wears (chalking), the panels get damaged (hail, cracks), the install was wrong (buckling vinyl), or water gets behind it (open gaps, soil contact, soft sheathing). The last group does the real damage, and it is often the cheapest to prevent with caulk, grading and an honest look at the wall.

Everything we have on siding: what fails, why, what it costs, and which of it you can handle without calling anyone. Siding is a rain screen. Its job is to shed most of the water and protect the sheathing and framing behind it. When those parts get wet, the siding is the symptom and the wall is the problem.

1Start with what you can see

Often DIYChalky residue on painted aluminumOxidized paint. Sound panels can be cleaned and repainted instead of replaced. Often claimableHail dents on one elevationClaimable hail damage that is often missed when only the roof gets inspected. Often DIYCracks in vinyl rather than dentsOlder vinyl goes brittle in the sun. Matching panels can be hard to find. Check the wallSoft spots under the sidingWater has been getting behind the cladding. The sheathing is the real problem. Test firstAsbestos-cement board on an older houseIntact and painted, it isn’t a hazard. Don’t sand, cut, drill or power-wash it. Often DIYGaps at trim and penetrationsCaulk is the main water and pest barrier. Checking it every year prevents most failures. Often DIYWood siding in contact with soilWood touching dirt wicks moisture and gives termites a route into the wall. WorkmanshipBuckling or waviness in vinylVinyl nailed too tight can’t expand and buckles in summer heat. Before you paySiding cost: what to expect and what to skipWhat drives the price, and which jobs you shouldn’t be paying for at all.

2How siding fails

What you seeUsual causeFirst thing to try
Chalky film on painted metalThe factory finish oxidizing in the sunWash it, then decide if it needs repainting
Dents or cracks on one sideHail, or vinyl gone brittle with agePhotograph it and note the date of any storm
Waves or bulges in vinylPanels nailed too tight to expandAsk the installer to look before it gets worse
Open joints at windows, doors and pipesOld caulk that has shrunk or crackedCut out the old caulk and reseal
Soft wall, stains, peeling paint low downWater behind the cladding, or wood touching soilProbe the wall and pull the grade back from the siding
White horizontal lap siding on a house wall, seen from below against a clear blue sky
Photo by Sebastian Schuster on Unsplash.
Older houses

Mid-century houses often have asbestos-cement siding, and homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Have the siding identified before anyone cuts, drills or sands it. For paid work that disturbs paint on a pre-1978 home, hire a lead-safe certified firm.

Soft spots, storm damage or siding coming loose?Talk to a local siding contractor who will check the wall behind the panels, not just the panels.
877-360-4657

3What siding work costs

The price moves with the material, the wall area, the number of stories, how much trim and how many windows the crew has to work around, and whether damaged sheathing has to come off first. Matching discontinued panels can turn a small repair into a full wall. Older homes can add testing or lead-safe work.

Siding cost: what to expect and what to skip

4Siding FAQ

Should I repair or replace my siding?

Repair when the damage is limited to a few panels and the wall behind is dry and solid. Replace when the panels are brittle, can’t be matched, or the sheathing behind is wet over a large area.

Is hail damage to siding covered by insurance?

Often, yes, if it came from a specific storm. Siding is frequently left off claims when only the roof is inspected, so ask for it to be included.

How do I know if my siding contains asbestos?

You can’t tell by looking. Have a sample tested by an accredited lab or a licensed inspector before anyone cuts or drills it. Until then, leave it alone.

What maintenance actually matters?

Check the caulk at windows, doors and penetrations every year, keep soil and mulch off the bottom course, and make sure gutters aren’t dumping water onto the wall.

Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.

877-360-4657