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

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Siding · Check the wall

Soft spots under the siding

Probe with a screwdriver. Soft sheathing means water has been getting behind the cladding, and the siding is the symptom rather than the problem.

Quick answerIf the wall gives when you press on the siding, or a screwdriver sinks into the wood behind it, the sheathing is wet or rotted. Siding is only a rain screen. Water that gets behind it through open joints, missing flashing or a leaking gutter soaks the sheathing, and new siding over that wood won’t fix anything. Find the water source, replace the damaged wood, then re-side.

A soft spot is a long-running leak you’re only now noticing. The fix is part detective work, part carpentry. Skip the detective work and the new wall rots the same way.

1Why the wall goes soft

  • Open joints. Failed caulk at windows, doors and penetrations lets water run behind the siding.
  • Missing or wrong flashing. Above windows and doors, and where a roof meets a wall, water has to be turned outward.
  • Gutter overflow. Water dumping onto the wall from above soaks it every storm.
  • Soil and splash. Siding at or near grade stays wet and wicks water up.

2How to check what you’re dealing with

  1. Press and probePush on the siding around the area. Where you can reach wood, at trim or a panel edge, press in a screwdriver. Soft, dark or crumbly wood is rot.
  2. Look upCheck the window or door head, the roof edge and the gutter above the soft spot. Water usually enters higher than the damage shows.
  3. Look insideCheck the inside face of the same wall for stains, peeling paint or a musty smell.
  4. Map the extentMark where the wall is soft so a contractor can price it accurately.

3Fixing it

Do it yourself

  • Recaulk open joints near the area
  • Clean gutters and redirect overflow
  • Pull soil and mulch away from the bottom course
  • Probe and map the soft area

Hire a pro

  • Remove siding and cut out rotted sheathing
  • Check the studs and sill plate behind it
  • Install new wrap and proper flashing
  • Reinstall or replace the siding
Older houses

If the siding may be asbestos-cement, have it tested before anyone removes or cuts it. On a pre-1978 home, paid work that disturbs paint should be done by a lead-safe certified firm.

4What drives the cost

How much sheathing is damaged, whether framing is affected, the wall height, and whether the existing siding can be reinstalled or must be replaced. Ask for sheathing repair priced per sheet or per square foot, so the final bill tracks what’s actually found when the wall is opened.

Siding cost

Wall soft behind the siding?

Talk to a siding contractor who will find the water source before re-siding.

877-360-4657

5Questions

Can new siding go over the soft area?

No. Fasteners won’t hold in rotted wood, and the rot keeps spreading. The damaged sheathing has to be replaced first.

Is this covered by insurance?

Damage from a sudden event may be. Long-term leaks and rot usually aren’t. Check your policy.

How do I stop it coming back?

Fix the water source: caulk, flashing, gutters and grade. Then keep up the caulk every year.

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