Spring Has Sprung – Time to Check Your Vinyl Siding

Fool’s Spring, Second Winter, Spring of Deception, or Actual Spring?

Let’s be honest; we haven’t had much of a winter in North Carolina and Virginia this year. While we’re still a couple of weeks away from the first “official” day of spring, it’s felt pretty springlike of late. But of course, as I write this, frosty temperatures have crept back into the 10-day forecast. But really, this is nothing new. March has always been something of a crap shoot in terms of which season we’re going to get day-to-day. Kinda gives new meaning to the term March Madness, really.

But regardless of whether we’re in Fake Spring or not, now is still the perfect time to assess any winter storm damage and make sure your home exterior is ready for the warmer months. When you’re making your spring cleaning checklist, make sure to include your vinyl siding, too.

Does Vinyl Siding Really Need Maintenance?

First of all, if you opted for a vinyl siding installation, you made a good call. Modern vinyl siding is durable, moisture-resistant, and relatively inexpensive, especially as compared with other siding solutions. But even though vinyl is engineered to be a low-maintenance material, low-maintenance doesn’t equate to no maintenance at all. You should still give it a good spring cleaning, and inspect it for any signs of damage.

How Does Vinyl Siding Even Get Dirty in the First Place?

While you likely haven’t done anything intentional to make your siding dirty, it still happens. Dirt can splash up during heavy rain. Or, on a dry, windy day, dirt can be blown up onto your vinyl siding. And in the humid Southeast, mold, and mildew can easily take hold, especially on the shaded sides of your home.

Some Good Tips for Cleaning Vinyl Siding

⇒ Cleaning products

There are lots of premixed vinyl siding cleaning products on the market that are pretty effective. But if you’d prefer to avoid using harsh chemicals, you can also make your own vinyl siding cleaning solution by mixing in a quarter cup of dish soap for every four gallons of water. Need something for taking off light mold and mildew? A mixture of 70% water and 30% white vinegar will usually do the trick. And if you’re concerned about harming your landscaping, you can also try using a mixture of one cup of oxygen bleach (like OxiClean) with one gallon of water. This generally works very well on vinyl siding, and it shouldn’t pose any harm to shrubs or other vegetation.

⇒ Use a little elbow grease

The Vinyl Siding Institute recommends going with the tried-and-true method of applying cleaner with either a soft-bristle brush or cloth. There are also some spray-and-rinse products that might get the job done, but you really can’t go wrong with choosing the elbow grease method of vinyl siding cleaning.

⇒ Rinsing technique

When it’s time to hose your siding off, it’s best to point your stream at a downward angle, perpendicular to the face of the siding. This will help you to avoid getting water underneath your siding, where you don’t want it.

⇒ What about a pressure washer?

For this question, we decided to bring in a siding expert – Luke Wilson of Skywalker Windows & Siding. Even though some may tell you that a power washer is a way to go for cleaning vinyl siding, Luke strongly recommends against it. It’s not that a pressure washer is ineffective at removing dirt and grime. The real issue is the force of the pressurized water. If you’re not especially careful, a pressure washer can push moisture right underneath your siding and into the underlayment and wall sheathing. This kind of focused moisture infiltration can end up doing some real structural damage. For this reason, many siding manufacturers and siding contractors discourage the use of a pressure washer for cleaning.

What If You Find Some Issues with Your Siding?

When you do your vinyl siding spring cleaning, it’s a good idea to assess the general condition of your siding, as well. If you find any holes, cracks, or other damage, just know that those things won’t go away on their own. Issues like these make vinyl siding much more vulnerable to infiltration by moisture and pests. If you happen to notice some warping with your siding, that’s often an indication that you’re already experiencing some moisture-related damage underneath. Whenever any issues like these are evident, prompt vinyl siding repair is necessary. And in situations of more extensive damage, scheduling a siding replacement could really be your best solution.

Skywalker Provides the Best Siding Solutions in NC and VA

If you’ll take care to follow the vinyl siding care tips listed above, you should hopefully have your siding looking clean and pristine again in no time. But when it gets to the point that cleaning isn’t enough, it’s important to find a local siding company you can trust to take care of your needs. And in North Carolina and Virginia, you’ll find the siding pros you need at Skywalker Windows & Siding.

It’s right there in our name. Skywalker Windows & Siding provides the best siding and windows installation services in NC & VA, period. In fact, we provide a full suite of exterior home improvement solutions, including roof replacement, gutter & gutter guard installation, fascia & soffit work, exterior door replacement, and even new deck & porch construction services.

Skywalker has you covered across the NC Piedmont Triad, NC Piedmont Triangle, Mooresville area, and southern Virginia region all the way up to Roanoke. Let’s schedule your free personal consultation today! You can connect with us online, but to reach us even faster, just give us a call at (336) 627-5596 right now. We invite you to experience the Skywalker difference!