September Home Maintenance To-Do: Clean and Repair your Siding

“After a long summer, siding can become dirty or mildewed,” says Chris Granger, vice president and general manager of Sears Home Services. September is a great time to use a pressure washer to clean it up—and inspect for more serious problems before winter comes. Check first for rotten or warped areas, and inspect your caulking, which can shrink and crack over time.

If you’re a DIY’er: You don’t necessarily have to shimmy up a ladder for a close-up of your siding; the pros we talked to recommend using a smartphone camera or drone to zoom in on problem areas. Inspect the butt joints where two pieces of siding meet and, if you spy cracks, consider tackling the job yourself.

How? A day ahead, thoroughly wash your work surface with soapy water. Once the area is completely dry, squeeze a bit of caulk into the gap in the siding, then smooth it with your finger. Wipe it once more with a damp sponge to even out your work.

Pro tip: Be sure to never caulk the underside of your siding, which could prevent the boards from expanding and contracting during changing weather. Once you’ve fixed any problem areas, let everything set for a few days. Then follow up with a good pressure wash (you can rent a machine for around $35).

When to call in a pro: If your siding has seen better days (think missing, bent, or cracked pieces), consider replacing it. As a general rule, fiber cement siding is priciest, followed by wood, aluminum, and vinyl. Replacing vinyl siding on an average 2,200-square-foot home will set you back more than $6,500 (in addition to the cost of removing existing materials). If you choose wood or fiber cement siding, you’ll likely spend twice that. For an expert pressure washing, homeadvisor.com says you can expect to spend $100 to $300.

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Photo Credit:  Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock.com