Protecting Your Siding in Chilling Winter
If you have chilling temperatures for a prolonged period, especially if you frequently find yourself in snow package, this blog is just for you. We also work in the region of South Lake Tahoe, and we know first-hand how harsh snow and freezing temperatures can be with building materials. Our family comes from Spokane, Washington and therefore we know first-hand what kind of materials last in these circumstances. The LP Smart Side information below is an excellent starting point. Here are a couple of notes from credible experts of siding companies:
1) You cannot be able to keep your snow pack off from home if you have a cabin or a holiday homes that have not been living all year round. So, it is incredibly essential to select the right construction materials for your snow-pack areas!
2) Adding a wainscot around the lower part of the siding is usually recommended. This means usually a few feet on the front, but maybe 4-6" on both sides of the building. This helps you to select another coat for the snow kit area and in the coming years should be a priority of your maintenance. Next, pick a siding that won't crisscross easily and also review the manufacturer’s warranty to see if the snowpack conditions will hold your warranty in touch. Certain of our favorites are:
LP Smart Side – We will put up a vertical style or a board & batten in the lower part to break the house when we add lap siding. We propose that homeowners more frequently than the rest of the house paint the lower portion.
Stone – While this may be a costly choice, in this area it is a permanent solution.
Standing steel or aluminum – It is a good way to bind the house together and add to its longevity with or close to the same material now on the roof.
What more the siding companies suggest the customers?
Protecting Siding from Cold
The constant freezing and thawing cycle places great stress on every building surface when the cold weather hits. This is what creates dots on our roads—and can seriously harm the siding of a building. The freeze/thaw cycle is due to water expansion at freezing by almost 10%. Where the water becomes entangled in a siding material such as cement fiber and the temperature falls below 32° F, intense pressure is produced on the material as it rises.
In order to help homebuilders around the United States, especially in Denver and Arizona, find the best way to deal with both their customers and themselves, here is a look at how today's most common side ways to compare freezer/thaw damages:
Fiber cement – As fiber cement is primarily concrete, naturally, it is more porous than wood siding or other materials engineered. This makes it more likely to crack or break as water penetrates and develops as temperatures fall. Many talk these days about intelligent concrete that can withstand damage by freeze and thaw, but this technology is still being tested.
Vinyl– vinyl contracts and expands considerably with changes in temperature. That is why it needs to be mounted loosely on a house to allow movement. Like cement fiber, vinyl siding will crack in winter more likely.
Traditional wood siding – high maintenance is needed in order to avoid the damage to the traditional wood sidings. Wood quickly binds, cracks and splits if not maintained, such as scraping and painting.
Contact Reroof America if you need help with siding maintenance. Our siding company in Denver is happy to help you!