22 Nov Cedar Siding Maintenance: Advice from a Long Grove Area Home Siding Company
Cedar siding is some of the most beautiful siding in existence. However, with that beauty comes a price—that price being additional maintenance.
Curious as to what cedar siding maintenance entails? Take it from a Long Grove home remodeling company: here is everything you need to know.
Reduce Moisture Exposure
One of the keys to cedar siding maintenance is to reduce exposure to moisture as much as possible. The more moisture cedar siding takes on, the faster it will deteriorate.
The question is: how do you go about doing this? There are, in general, two methods you’ll want to utilize. The first method is to reduce indoor humidity. The less humidity you have in your home, the less damage it will do to your siding over time. To keep humidity to a minimum, you should utilize both insulation and a dehumidifier.
To reduce moisture exposure on the exterior of the house, you’ll want to ensure that your gutters and downspouts are performing up to par. If improperly installed, these entities can cause water to pour straight down onto your siding, resulting in premature deterioration.
Deter Wood-chomping Insects
Cedar siding is beautiful, both to human beings…and to insects. Termites, powderpost beetles, and a wide variety of other insects might eat cedar if it’s in their proximity. If not repelled, they can wreak absolute havoc, causing severe deterioration in a short amount of time.
For this reason, it’s important that you do what you can to keep these wood-chomping insects at bay. A few strategies include preventing moisture exposure, keeping hedges trimmed, and applying wood stain on a regular basis.
Fix Cracks in a Timely Manner
Over time, your cedar siding is bound to take on cracks. Cracks can arise for a number of reasons, including moisture exposure, physical trauma, and temperature variation.
However, regardless of why cracks arise in your cedar siding, it’s recommended that you fix them as soon as possible. The longer you allow a crack to remain, the larger and more troublesome it will become. To repair a crack, you can simply add a wood filler to the affected area.
Clean Your Siding
The most basic facet of cedar siding maintenance is cleaning. Your cedar siding will get dirty, and it will need to be washed from time to time. Failure to wash your cedar siding regularly could lead to irreparable staining, and maybe even water damage.
To clean your cedar siding, it’s advised that you utilize a cedar cleaner. This is a paint-like liquid that can be spread over the entirety of your siding. Let it set for 30 minutes, and then wash it off with a power washer or hose.
Stave Off Woodpeckers
It’s not just insects that cause damage to cedar siding. In fact, when it comes to cedar, woodpeckers are actually a bigger concern.
Wondering how to keep them away? There are a number of deterrents, including wind chimes, fake hawk statues, and specifically designed chemical substances. It would also be a good idea to minimize the number of trees and bushes in the areas directly next to your house. Woodpeckers love to hover next to trees and bushes, and they could very easily make their way to your siding.
Looking for a Long Grove Home Siding Sales and Installation Company
Are you unable to perform cedar siding maintenance on your own? Looking for the help of a Long Grove home remodeling company? Aspen Exterior Company is the company to call.
Our team is well-versed in the maintenance of cedar siding, having maintained the siding on countless Long Grove area homes.
Contact us now to get the process started!
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