Siding is what stands between your house and the rain, and here the rain barely lets up. When it starts to fail, it tells you. These are the five signs we get called out for most.
1. Soft spots when you press
Press the siding and trim near the bottom of the wall and under windows. If it gives instead of pushing back, water is already in the wood behind it. That's rot, and paint won't fix it.
2. Paint that peels a season after it went on
When fresh paint bubbles or peels within a year, the problem is moisture coming from behind, not the paint itself. The wall is holding water it cannot shed. A repaint just seals it in for one more winter.
3. Warping, buckling, or gaps
Boards that warp, pull away, or open gaps at the seams let water straight past the surface. Wind off the water in towns like Mukilteo and Edmonds works those gaps wider every storm.
4. Moss, mildew, or a musty smell inside
Green growth on the north wall and a damp smell inside can trace back to siding that is letting moisture through. The siding and the flashing behind it are meant to keep that out.
5. Rising energy bills
Old siding often means old or missing house wrap and thin insulation. If the house feels drafty and the bills climb, new insulated siding does two jobs at once. We check the wall and tell you what's really going on.
Common questions
One sign alone can be a repair. Stacked together they usually mean water is getting past the siding, and that's worth knowing before the fall rain. We'll check the wall and what's behind it, then price the repair and the re-side as two separate numbers.
