Inspecting your home’s siding and exterior elevations is another important pre-winter step homeowners should take during their routine maintenance inspection. Siding can take a beating during the cold winter months in the Midwest and should be checked to make sure that it is in good condition and able to keep the home warm and dry. In addition, while inspecting the siding one should also check the auxiliary components of the exterior elevations including the doors, windows, fascia and soffit.

Inspecting the homes siding and exterior elevations is straightforward and shouldn’t require a lot of time to complete. Regardless of the type of siding you have, the objective of this fall maintenance checkup is to uncover basic signs of damage or areas where potential damage may occur if left unattended.

How To Inspect Siding and Exterior Elevations

• Loose Siding: Check all elevations for loose siding. Most manufactured siding like vinyl, steel and aluminum are both fastened to the building as well as interlocked between each piece. If any loose siding is found, check to make sure that it is fastened securely to the home before snapping it back into place.
• Cracked, Chipped or Broken Siding: Siding that is cracked, chipped or broken should be repaired to ensure that water cannot penetrate behind it and cause further problems. Many times minor damage of this nature can easily be repaired by either swapping out a damaged piece of siding with a new one, a tube of caulk or make-shift patch if need be. If damage extends beyond a more elementary fix, consider calling a professional for a repair.
• Remove Vegetation: Clear any trees, shrubs or other vegetation that may be touching the siding. Winter wind or ice storms can quickly turn a seemingly harmless branch too close to the home, into an unnecessary midwinter repair.
• Storage: For similar reasons, be sure to clear any stored items that are stacked, leaned, or otherwise touching the siding.
• Caulking: Check the caulking on all major seams or areas where each elevation of siding is interrupted. For example, where two walls meet, a roof slope meets the siding, or items protrude from the siding (i.e. dryer vents, around windows, doors, etc.). Look for loose, cracked or missing caulking and re-caulk as needed. When re-caulking a seam, remember to remove any old caulk and clean the area before applying.
• Weather Stripping: Another quick and simple fix that will save on winter heating bills is to check that all the weather stripping on the windows, doors and garage doors are in good condition. Good weather stripping keeps stops the cold winter drafts from stealing heat from the home. Most lengths of new weather stripping can be purchased for less than $10 and can install in less than 5 minutes.
• Soffits: Make sure all soffits are not broken, blown-in, sagging, or otherwise unsecured. Not only can winter winds blow snow up into the attic, the soffits or eaves often make a perfect entry for critters looking to escape the cold.
• Fascia: When inspecting fascia, it is most important to just ensure that they are not loose to where a heavy wind or strong gust could pull them off. When in doubt, a few small nails can help tack it into place.