When your siding looks attractive from the outside, you might be tempted to think that everything is fine, right? Behind the surface, however, moisture may be lurking, especially if your siding lacks the right amount of airflow.
If siding does not have sufficient ventilation, dampness lingers and allows mold growth, pest infestations, and structural rot that can put your home at risk. Join us for a look at what good ventilation, which comes from high-performing siding installed correctly, can do to protect your home.
Siding Ventilation Defined
When siding is installed correctly, air can circulate behind the boards to prevent water build-up and keep moisture-related issues like mold and mildew, rot, and structural damage at bay. Properly ventilated siding safeguards your house and keeps it efficient, comfortable, and free of structural issues that would affect its value and performance, not to mention your family’s health.
As you can see, allowing your siding to “breathe” (so to speak) is an essential part of your house’s entire ventilation system, which also includes vents in your roof, soffits, eaves, gables, and foundation. This entire system keeps your home in good shape.
How Properly Ventilated Siding Benefits Your Home
Choosing the right siding and trusting a skilled installation team (like ours) can save you a lot of headaches when it comes to ensuring your exterior has good airflow. Correctly installed siding protects the exterior of your home and deters damage that can harm your house because it:
Hinders Mold and Mildew
When water gets trapped behind poorly ventilated siding boards, the result is that moisture can fester there. This dark, damp area invites mold and mildew to grow. As these unhealthy elements thrive, they eat away at wooden structures and wear them down. You may notice wood rot as a result, as well as unpleasant odors and musty spots inside your house as the mold spreads.
Protects Indoor Air Quality
By stopping mold and mildew from having a chance to grow and spread, correctly installed siding with good ventilation also keeps your indoor air cleaner and healthier. It is an essential factor in helping to reduce asthma and allergies.
Enhances Indoor Comfort
Siding is not only an exterior feature—it also affects what happens within your living spaces. Well-ventilated siding permits air to circulate with ease around the outside of your house, which helps to keep your interior rooms properly insulated from outdoor temperature changes. It contributes to a more comfortable home.
Preserves Energy Efficiency and Comfort
Well-ventilated siding also helps keep your heating and cooling system(s) from having to run constantly—which can lower utility bills and give you greater energy efficiency year-round. Not only does this take pressure off your wallet, but it also gives you the satisfaction of reducing your carbon footprint too.
Extends Siding’s Longevity
Insufficiently ventilated siding leads to moisture lingering around your exterior instead of evaporating. As water gets trapped behind siding, you are likely to see boards begin to warp and crack as they expand unevenly. This ongoing damage grows worse over time, and the result is that your siding does not last as long as it should.
Keeps Siding Looking Attractive
When moisture gets trapped beneath your siding, the boards can become discolored prematurely. Exterior paint is more likely to bubble and peel, which removes a protective layer against the weather. It contributes to unsightly or dull curb appeal and can make it necessary to repaint or replace siding sooner than is ideal.
Deters Pest Infestations
The damp, dark environment behind your siding can invite unwelcome insects and pests to dig in, build nests, breed, and do damage. Ventilated, sturdy, properly installed siding helps prevent the moisture accumulation that attracts critters, lessening the need to call the exterminator and make repairs.
Safeguards Your Structure
Ultimately, siding that permits sufficient airflow is an important element in keeping your home’s overall structure in good shape. This simple factor is key in allowing moisture from rain and humidity to evaporate instead of lingering where it can cause problems. Keep in mind that structural damage to your home is both costly to repair and also diminishes your home’s value, so properly installed and maintained siding is something that is best not overlooked.
How to Protect Your Siding’s Ventilation Quality
Now that you understand what your siding does to help protect your house, how do you ensure its ventilation is just right? Here are a few common-sense tips:
Choose the Right Siding Material
Any siding installed correctly will avoid trapped moisture.
Ensure Proper Installation
A key to good ventilation is correct installation. The proper house wrap (WRB) is the first step. Then placing each board with the right amount of overlap and spacing will allow moisture to dissipate. Choose a contractor with superior training and trusted expertise in replacing siding—such as our team, which has 75 years of experience to rely upon.
Practice Good Maintenance
Healthy ventilation is one of many traits that siding should offer. To ensure your siding is operating at its peak, inspect it regularly and wash it twice a year to clear away debris. Address any repairs promptly.
Keep Your Home Protected Against Unwanted Moisture with Ventilated Siding
The right siding, installed with care, provides a gorgeous appearance and strong, lasting performance against excess moisture. If you need replacement siding, or if you are seeing signs that water might be sneaking beneath your exterior, we can help.
At Beissel Window & Siding, we have thoroughly researched manufacturers and materials so we can provide you with properly ventilated, high-performing siding you can count on for decades. Get started with a free consultation that equips you to keep your home exterior in tip-top shape.
