Without understanding exactly what’s happening to your home’s siding, it can be hard to identify what the solution needs to be.
We hear from a lot of customers that they weren’t sure if they needed a siding replacement or a repair, and called us to help. While it’s always best to have a professional take a look, wouldn’t it be nice if you knew what to look for first?
To answer all your questions on what’s wrong with your siding, we’ve included example images of what the top 5 siding problems can look like.
- Siding with external damage
- Buckling or distorted siding
- Rot
- Mold or mildew
- Damage within your home (siding already damaged).
If you still have questions after reading this article, we are more than happy to help. Schedule your free estimate now and we’ll send someone right out to help you understand what’s going on in your home.
What Does Siding with External Damage Look Like?
One of the most common homeowner concerns is seeing their siding with external, immediate damage to it. Whether it’s from a stone nicking your siding or an animal burrowing into your home, it’s a type of damage homeowners see the quickest.
The severity and urgency of your replacement depend on how bad the external damage is. If it’s light discoloration or small scuff marks, you can likely get away with a siding repair. A repair would involve swapping out just a few of the boards and restoring your home to its pristine condition.
However, the big gamble with siding is what looks small can be water damage lurking behind the boards.
In this next photo example, you can see a part of the cedar siding is completely torn off, and the boards look saturated beneath the paint. This is likely a sign of a more serious concern that isn’t just external damage.
Since the underlayment and insulation is exposed due to the first layer missing, there is a high chance of more intrusive water damage that eventually leads to rot.
What Does Buckling or Distorted Siding Look Like?
If your siding is buckling or distorted, understanding what path you need to take depends on the extent of the damage.
In this example, the panel to the left of the garage door is jutting outwards. Additionally, some of the panels on top of the garage door are cracking, which indicates a potential water damage problem. Continuous exposure to water causes siding to weaken and lose its integrity over time.
A less severe example would be the photo below—the horizontal lap siding has slight marks and damage on it.
#3 What Does Siding with Rot Look Like?
While it can seem hard to find exact examples because every home rots differently, rot is straightforward: if the wood of your home is chipping away or falling off, it’s likely because of rot.
For homes without wood siding (this includes materials like vinyl and fiber cement), it is harder to spot rot. Siding panels cover the wood structure beneath and the panels don’t show signs of rot, so hiring a professional to identify potential areas of rot is incredibly important.
If rot on your home is this obvious, though, siding replacements are less of a concern because structural work needs to happen beforehand.
In best case scenario, our contractors can remove the rotted parts for you and continue with your renovation in under a week. In the worst-case scenario, your project may need to be delayed as you look for a different contractor that can help you repair this part of your home.
Here’s what rot can also look like on the eaves of this home:
What Does Mossy, Moldy, or Mildewy Siding Look Like?
At the bottom of the wall, you can see a very strong moss growing vertically. Where moss, mildew, and mold flourish is where water is present, and that means weakened siding.
If you notice mold or mildew, try spraying it off or pulling off first to see the extent of the damage. If the siding is squishy or not stiff, you may have a serious water damage problem.
A less severe version of potentially moldy or mildewy siding is in the photo below. The house’s chimney looks like there’s something there—likely mold or mildew, if not rot.
Again, there’s always a high chance that worse rot could be present beneath your siding.
What Does Water-Damaged Siding Look Like?
Water damage on siding can take a variety of different forms—not to mention the invisible forms of water damage that sheathing (the layer behind your siding) can take.
However, external water damage looks similar across different homes: generally, the home looks soggy and looks like it’s absorbing water.
If your home looks like this, get a professional out to your home ASAP. Water damage is bad, but it can also look worse than it is. Tackling the problem early and mitigating any future damage is your best bet.
If water damage isn’t caught soon enough, damage can escalate from a siding project to structural repairs. A foundation repair project can add up to $10,000. If furniture replacements are needed, it could be even more.
Less severe water-damaged siding can have dark patches show up in smaller areas where waterflow is common (like gutters).
Damage to the Inside of Your Home Is Urgent
In the worst cases, severely damaged siding has already affected the home.
For example, in the picture below, the carpets are flooded because the siding has not prevented water from entering.
In this instance, after the homeowner pulled away their carpet, the water damage had already seeped into their home. This means the project is no longer a simple siding replacement, but a potential foundation problem.
If this happens to you, our project managers will be able to give you the next best steps. Usually, depending on the extent of the damage, we would recommend another contractor to help you repair the inside of the home or advise homeowners to find an additional contractor whilst replacing what we can control: the siding and exterior.
We Have the Solution to Your Siding Problems
Regardless of what’s happening to your siding, it’s necessary to have a professional take a look. They will notice signs you may have missed for critical damage.
With our near 20 years of experience in the siding industry in Seattle, Portland, and Atlanta, our team will recognize the problems you may have an provide solutions for you—at no cost.
If your home has any of the top 5 most common problems in exterior siding listed above, reach out to us today for your free estimate and we’ll be able to tell you exactly what you need—even if you don’t sign a contract with us.
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