With kids out of school and long, warm, sunny days ahead, the summer season means we get to shake off the cold and spend time with family and friends. But the summer also presents its own set of weather-related challenges to homeowners across the country, especially if your home is sided with vinyl. Because of the nature of vinyl siding, the storms and heat that are so typical of summer can spell trouble, including hail damage and melted siding.
Can’t beat the Heat
Intense sunshine has a way of causing damage to all aspects of your property, from the lawn to the exterior siding. When the temperatures start rising, vinyl siding is vulnerable to:
- Buckling
- Fading
- Melting
Especially in Colorado and some other areas of the Southwest, it often seems as though a long winter and short spring is suddenly snapped into summer with an onset of hot temperatures. These types of extreme temperature changes from cool to hot can cause the vinyl to warp, buckle or melt. When that happens, you’ll likely have to replace at least the damaged sections of siding.
Another overlooked source of heat damage is the backyard barbecue. If your grill puts off a lot of heat and is located just a few feet from your home, there is a chance the high heat can melt your vinyl siding. Remember to place your grill at least 10 feet away from the side of your home.
Summer Storm Patterns
With a particularly stormy summer in full swing across Colorado, we’re not strangers to hail, high winds and other extreme conditions. This type of weathering can damage your home, and vinyl siding in particular. Unfortunately, hail can punch holes right through vinyl siding, and strong winds can cause it to come loose from its nails.
Costs of replacing Damaged Vinyl Siding
It’s true that vinyl siding is one of the cheapest options; however, it gets costly when you have to replace a large amount of it or when you have to replace it frequently. If only a small section of your vinyl siding needs to be fixed, it’s not prohibitively expensive for most homeowners, but you may have a difficult time finding siding that matches your current siding exactly. Some people are forced to re-side the entire home, which is a big expense.
For maximum weather durability, consider updating your home with TruLog™ steel log siding. This tough steel siding doesn’t melt or buckle, and it’s secured to the side of your home so that it will resist even the strongest wind and storms.
TruLog™ steel siding is made of durable, heavy gauge steel that stands up to harsh weather. To get a free estimate for your project, or order direct (we ship nationwide) please call our experienced team in Loveland, Colorado at 970-646-4490.
