After the cold of the winter subsides and spring and summer head our way it is always good to check your home to make sure everything looks right. Snow and ice have frozen and thawed, water has poured, and the wind has blown. Your home’s exterior can take a beating protecting you from the elements. Our roofers at Interstate Roofing can take a look at your home and make sure your roof is holding up. Even if your roof is looking good you may need to give your siding a little TLC.
How To: Clean Exterior Siding – Bob Vila Day after day, year after year, exterior siding protects your home from the elements. It’s the first line of defense against an array of natural challenges, including howling winds, driving rain, hot sun, and bitter cold. Under the circumstances, it’s no wonder that grit and grime tend to accumulate over time. Savvy homeowners, as a result, incorporate exterior cleaning into their semiannual maintenance routines for a number of compelling reasons.
First, it cannot be ignored that the condition of your siding significantly influences the curb appeal of your home—that is, how it appears to visitors and casual passersby. Second, giving your siding a good once-over a few times a year gives you the chance to identify and address any problems early on, before they pick up steam and become extensive, expensive-to-resolve headaches that could steal years from the expected lifespan of the siding.
Indeed, from both an aesthetic and pragmatic perspective, it’s never wise to go long without giving a thought to the wood, brick, stucco, or vinyl that clads your home. Generally speaking, experts recommend seasonal inspection and cleaning as needed. But according to Jim Eldredge, a product manager with Sears Home Services, it’s essential to remember that “different siding materials carry different—often very different—care requirements.”
Continue reading below for expert advice on cleaning and caring for many of today’s best-known and most widely installed types of exterior siding.