Siding maintenance

The highest-value maintenance is free: walk the perimeter twice a year and look at the details, not the panels. Check where siding meets windows, doors, decks, roofs, and the ground. Look for opened caulk joints, missing kickout flashing at roof-wall intersections, and gutters dumping water down a wall. Those are what cause five-figure repairs.

For cleaning, use low pressure and a soft brush. A high-pressure washer aimed up under siding laps forces water behind the wall — exactly what the siding exists to prevent. If you hire out pressure washing, ask what pressure they use and whether they spray upward.

Keep siding clear of the ground and of soil, mulch, and vegetation. Constant ground contact and trapped moisture rot the bottom course first, and the bottom course is the one everyone stops looking at.

How to choose

Vinyl and aluminum

Wash as needed with mild detergent and low pressure. No painting cycle. Replace impact-damaged panels when you spot them so water can't enter the hole.

Fiber cement

Repaint on a cycle; the material holds paint well, which is one of its selling points. Keep cut ends sealed per the manufacturer's instructions.

Engineered wood

Same discipline as fiber cement, with extra attention to sealing field cuts. Unsealed cut edges are the usual failure point.

Cedar and wood

The heaviest schedule. Plan a recoating cycle for as long as you own the house. NAHB lists exterior wood shutters at about 20 years — exposed wood trim ages faster than the walls.

Annual details check

Caulk joints, flashing at windows and roof intersections, gutter discharge, and 6 inches of clearance from soil. Fix these; the panels take care of themselves.