House Siding Water Damage

The sunroom here was built well.

House siding water damage. The sheathing and framing sometimes need repairs too but that is less common. When clapboards or shakes are rotten or broken your home s siding can no longer do the job it s meant to do. Preventing water damage behind siding takes a layered approach both literally and figuratively. Let s look at the examples illustrated in the photos below all needed some type of siding repairs.

Before you even think of fixing your water damaged stucco make sure you fix the cause of the water damage. So if this happens you will need to remove or replace the siding quickly before rot sets in. Unsealed gaps in these spots. The common methods for achieving this involves a combination of proper flashing trim caulking and layering of sheeting.

My home was struck by lightning recently and the siding took a hit too. We tear off the damaged hardboard and replace it with fiber cement siding. Water can also seep in behind faux stone and other external walls around your home. In most cases the original layer of building paper or housewrap at the bottom of the wall was enough to prevent water infiltration and damage beneath the siding.

It also allows decay and further damage in the wood around it. Unfortunately you won t be covered when normal wear and tear is at issue. Common locations for water leaks in siding are at the corners of the house anywhere two siding panels meet and around the windows where the siding abuts the trim. The repair is simple if you follow the details in the illustration above.

According to the insurance information institute homeowners insurance may help pay for repairs if for instance your drywall is drenched after your water heater ruptures or an upstairs pipe bursts and water saturates the ceiling below. Flashing tiles shingles or deteriorating parts on the roof that indicated signs of needed repair. Most homeowners insurance policies help cover water damage if the cause is sudden and accidental. If these pieces aren t replaced or if regular maintenance isn t performed water damage and resulting wear and tear can occur.

Here the biggest danger is water seeping in behind your siding and causing permanent damage to more vulnerable materials. Plumbing faucets or pipes leaking over time causing damage to the walls ceilings or floors. Preventing water damage behind siding takes a layered approach. Damaged siding lets air water dirt and insects through to the inside.

It s the water that penetrates that causes problems because it likely won t get enough air circulation to remove the moisture and wood that has more than 20 moisture will rot.