Cleaning Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is an industry all its own. Just as there are different forms of wood, brick, and newer, more modern materials to cover the exterior of a house, vinyl siding comes in different grades, colors, quality, and applications. It has been greatly improved upon since the introduction of it in the early 1960s and has a more durable quality than before. Homeowners are using this form of beautifying their homes because it is cost effective when compared to other products of the same nature.

One of the reasons vinyl siding is a good choice for the exterior of a house is the choice of products that can be applied underneath it. These products offer the consumer many choices that enable them to insulate and better protect the interior of their homes. Also, vinyl siding offers something that other products created for the exterior of a house do not: once the material is applied to a house there is no need for painting. This saves the building contractor time and money, which is interpreted as savings to the consumer.

Another aspect to vinyl siding that adds to its appeal is the time it takes to install it. In a fraction of the time it takes to brick a house or install, prime, trim, and paint wooden exteriors, vinyl siding can be installed, allowing the new homeowner to take possession and move their family in at an earlier time. This product has stood the test of time and has also grown in quality as the building industry demanded.

Knowing the basic formulation that makes vinyl siding what it is helps the homeowner know what it takes to maintain the beauty of their investment. One of the reasons vinyl siding is so popular is the many different variations of the product available. This type of information is prudent to the consumer because each of these different aspects to vinyl siding has a quality of maintenance unique to itself. For example, choosing a light color will require more frequent upkeep because it will show the results that elements of nature cause to every type of home exterior covering.

Along with the choice in colors comes the style of the product. This is the range of choices available that give the particular look that a homeowner would want. For example, some people like the look of certain types of wood siding and would actually choose wood if it didn’t require scraping and painting periodically. So the vinyl siding industry created molds to manufacture the siding to give the texture and look of real wood without the hassle of scraping and painting. To add to the appeal of this characteristic of vinyl siding is the fact that it can be ordered in various “wood siding” designs. Lap siding is one of the most common and gives the appearance of the wood siding on many of the colonial style homes built back in the 18th century.

The different designs that are available can also play an important role in the maintenance of the product. By giving the vinyl siding the texture of real wood grain it opens the attraction to dirt and pollen. Just as the real wood would become discolored by these two elements in everyday life, so the vinyl siding is discolored. However, cleaning this discoloration from real wood takes a few more painstaking steps that simply spraying it with a water hose.

Although it may take the addition of some cleaning product along with the spraying of the water hose, the homeowner will not have to face sanding and repainting due to green pollen or mildew. Wood has open pores that trap discoloration that eventually bonds to it where vinyl siding is not open pored and can resist the staining that is common among wood siding products.

Keep in mind that vinyl siding also comes in a smooth finish. The consumer is not bound to the wood texture look. By using a design that is smooth in texture, the homeowner may expect the cleaning process to be easier than that of the textured finish. The fewer the areas of elemental buildup the easier the cleaning of the siding will be. This does not always guarantee an easy cleaning process but it will still be easier than its wood counterpart.

When homeowners choose to change the look of the interior walls of their homes there are a number of finishes available to them. If they are painting, the choices range from a flat, no sheen finish to a brilliant high gloss finish. One of the factors that plays an important role in the decision making process is the cleaning of the finish. High gloss finishes are easier to clean than the dull, flat finishes. The same is true for vinyl siding.

When aluminum siding was making its debut, durability against the elements was a selling point. While it didn’t fare the bad weather elements too well, it also failed in the fading of the color as it was exposed to the sun day in and day out. This is an attractive feature of quality vinyl siding. Once the aluminum siding lost its sheen, the painted surface became chalky in many cases. This was a nightmare to the homeowner because it required more attention than just a cleaning process.

Vinyl siding has a finish that has undergone a very thorough testing process. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) tests vinyl siding products that are available on the market today. What does this mean for the consumer? It means more than just the finish has been tested for durability. Wind, rain, ice, and snow are all elements that can compromise the integrity of any exterior cover on a house. Quality vinyl siding is gauged by how well they do during this test. Consequently, the better they do during the testing process, the easier the cleaning process will be. This test is a factor for the manufacturer of the vinyl siding to take into account while developing their product, including and especially the finish they put on it.

How vinyl siding is installed also plays an important role in its maintenance. Most vinyl siding is installed over a sheet good such as ½ inch foam insulation. The tacks used to adhere the siding to the exterior of the house are not driven all the way into the siding. This allows for expansion and contraction without deforming or warping the vinyl. As with any product made with plastic or vinyl, it is susceptible to heat and cold. Extreme heat can melt the siding while extreme cold can make it brittle, allowing for breakage.

With the installation of the siding taken into consideration while cleaning, the homeowner is assured that the process will not damage the siding. Along with the tacks used to install the vinyl siding to the exterior of a house, there is an interlocking of the pieces to give a uniform look. As a part of the maintenance of the vinyl siding, an inspection of these areas will help maintain the beauty of the exterior of the house. By researching and learning the different aspects of the product, homeowners equip themselves to better maintain the product.

Another aspect of the installation of vinyl siding is the trim. The trim around windows, doors, fascia, and outside and inside corners are unique to the product. Care should be taken when cleaning around these areas. The trim around windows and doors is built to ward off water and other elements that might run down the area and seep into voids. This allows for a strong integrity around these areas, giving the consumer the benefit of security from the elements. All the processes taken in the installation of vinyl siding are followed to ensure the homeowner that the product should last as long as their house does.

With the vinyl siding industry wide open for improvements, other aspects to the industry are giving consumers more options, which require attaining the knowledge of the maintenance of each product installed. Vinyl siding companies are offering windows to compliment the siding they offer. These windows are framed in the same vinyl that the siding is made of and can create new challenges for the maintenance of them. Every homeowner is conscious of the dedication to maintaining one of the largest investments they will ever make, and consequently, they will be more curious about the options available to make their investment of time and money as good as possible.

Homeowners will face the same challenges they face with cleaning the glass of any window. So those choices are the same. For example, the double hung window allows for easier cleaning of the glass by being able to swing both sashes in to reach them easier. This will not change with the vinyl windows offered by vinyl siding companies. The challenge to cleaning the vinyl of the vinyl siding windows is similar to the cleaning of the vinyl siding itself. Taking the same consideration as with the siding will equip the homeowner with the knowledge needed to maintain vinyl siding windows.

Soffit and fascia are two more areas that are going to require cleaning as a vinyl siding product. Soffit material is made with a different profile as the siding, but the installation process is very similar. Taking this process into consideration when cleaning will help the homeowner prevent possible damage of the soffit while going through the cleaning process.

The soffit pieces fit into channels that run underneath the eaves of a house and the top of the exterior wall. They are held in place with these channels and small trim nails. It is better protected from the elements because of its location on the house, but should not be ignored. When cleaning the siding the homeowner needs to include the soffit, but needs to be cautious when spraying with a high pressure sprayer.

Fascia is the part of the house that is the trim around the edge of the roofline. Many vinyl siding companies use aluminum when covering these areas because the wood behind it is not as sound as the walls are. The soffit is not affected as bad even though it has the same vulnerability because of its location. Fascia that is covered in aluminum will take a little more effort to maintain its beauty because of the relationship between aluminum and heat. Any metal left in the sun, or any product for that matter, will heat up in direct sunlight. This causes a breakdown in the elements that make the aluminum and can result in fading. If desired, vinyl can be used in fascia, but before making a final decision, speaking to a contractor is wise.

Another reason for using aluminum is the areas are designed in a particular way as to prevent vinyl siding coverage of that area. Even though the best answer for protecting the wood is aluminum it is still not as good and “maintenance free” as vinyl. Keep in mind that all painted surfaces will fade in direct sunlight without proper care.

“Maintenance free” material is a bit misleading. The phrase is used as a selling point to mean no scraping and painting. However, proper cleaning is still going to have to be done. Many questions can arise when trying to find the easiest and best solution to cleaning and maintaining the beauty of vinyl siding. Some use of chemicals should be avoided when cleaning vinyl siding and a quick look at the product description will help in choosing the right product.

If employing a pressure sprayer to help clean vinyl siding, always read the precautions on the sprayer as it may be too powerful to use on the siding. If a pressure sprayer is used, always spray the siding at eye level to prevent water buildup behind the siding.

A soft bristle brush and mild detergent is a common combination when a general cleaning is needed. However, for other staining issues, a special product may be needed. Do not use undiluted bleach if attempting to remove mold or mildew. Liquid grease removers can also have a negative affect on the finish. In most cases, a simple window cleaning solution is best for stubborn stains and the occasional mark left behind by an exuberant child expressing their artistic talent.

The most important thing to remember when cleaning vinyl siding is the knowledge of its construction and application. Forgetting these two factors alone are the main contributors to damaged vinyl siding.