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With proper maintenance, wood siding can last the life of your house. Inspect your house once or twice a year for problems that include:
* Damaged wood (holes, cracks, warped boards)
* Damaged paint
* Missing shingles or shakes
* Insect damage
To keep wood siding from deteriorating, repair simple problems as soon as you find them. Shingles and shakes may be easier to repair than replace unless you cannot readily find a perfect match. Board siding that has been badly damaged should be replaced.
As you repair damage, identify what caused the damage and correct the problem as soon as you can. For example, if your wood siding is damaged by leaky gutters or pour drainage from the downspouts, correct these problems before more serious damage develops.
If paint problems such as blistering, peeling, alligatoring, wrinkling, or chalking are confined to a small area, you can touch them up. If they are more extensive, you may want to repaint the entire wall or house. Before painting, solve the cause of the problem.
Keep an eye out for dry rot and termite damage. Both are found on exterior as well as interior wood and can cause serious structural damage to your house. Dry rot is crumbling wood caused by a fungus. Termites bore tunnels through wood—you’ll sometimes see their wings or the castings they push out. Call pest control professionals if you find termite damage.
Before painting, make sure surfaces are clean, dry, and in good shape. It’s best to paint in dry weather with temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees.
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