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How to Find and Fix Leaky Siding
Siding can play a very important role in protecting a home from water damage, in addition to helping with heat regulation. When a leak develops, however, the water that builds up between the siding and exterior wall becomes trapped. Over time, this can lead to serious damage to your exterior wall, and even your property’s interior.
Numerous different materials are used as wall siding. They include vinyl, aluminum, wood, and steel — among many others. Some siding materials are waterproof, while others are breathable.
Signs That Point to Leaky Siding
Most people initially discover (or begin to suspect that) their have a siding leak when moisture accumulates somewhere along the interior wall. After ruling out other causes, they may take a closer look at their siding.
Warning signs that point to a leak somewhere within your home’s siding include:
- Inside your home, you may notice stains, moisture, paint peeling off, and wallpaper detaching from an interior wall.
- Outside your home, you may see unusual stains or streaks along your siding. Siding may have come loose in places, or may have been improperly installed to begin with, especially around windows and gutters. Depending on the material used, bulging may be visible around the area of the leak.
- Both inside and outside your home, the wall affected by leaky siding will likely display signs of mold — you might be able to see mold growth, or sniff out that characteristically musty odor. On the outside portion of the wall, moss may also have adhered to your siding.
What Causes Leaky Siding?
Leaky siding can result from numerous different factors. The most common culprits are:
- Clogged gutters, which can lead water to back up behind siding.
- Poor-quality caulking or aged caulking that needs to be replaced.
- Aged siding that needs to be replaced — if your siding is over two decades old, it may have reached its expiration date.
- Sometimes, new siding is applied without the prior proper removal of previous siding. This, too, can cause leaks.
- Extremely heavy precipitation, both rain and snow.
To prevent leaky siding and the serious damage it can lead to, make sure to give your siding a good visual once-over at least twice yearly, as well as after especially heavy rain and snow. Keep your gutters properly maintained at all times.
How Can You Fix Leaky Siding?
When we become aware of a problem that needs attention within the home, it’s only natural to look for cheap and easy fixes that you can carry out yourself. This is why many people attempt to fix leaky siding by recaulking on their own.
Sometimes, that works very well.
Keep in mind, though, that leaky siding can cause extensive water damage to the affected exterior wall, and that this frequently leads to severe mold infestations as well. It is crucial to correctly diagnose the cause of the leak before you try to repair the problem — or you risk making it much worse.
Call a reputable leak detection company to ensure that you are fully aware of the root cause of the leak, repair any damage that was already done, and only then take steps to fix leaky siding.