Newly Posted Banner Construction Article Discusses Important Fiber Cement Siding Maintenance Steps

St. Louis-based Banner Construction has just posted an article on their website that talks about important fiber cement siding maintenance steps. They say that as strong and durable as fiber cement siding is, there are some things that a homeowner can do to keep it looking great and make it last longer. The new article also mentioned that a homeowner has to be extremely careful when doing certain outdoor maintenance tasks around fiber cement siding.

The company’s marketing manager, Jessica Benbow, says, “Installing fiber cement siding is a considerable investment in your home that you want to get right. That’s why we like to install James Hardie brand fiber cement siding. It’s widely regarded by many contractors as the gold standard in the industry. Obviously, once you have had your new fiber cement siding installed, you want to protect that investment and get the longest life possible out of it. Our newly written article that was just posted on our website will help you do just that.”

The new article first talked about several maintenance steps that will greatly benefit those who have fiber cement siding on their homes. It says the most important of which is washing down their fiber cement siding regularly. The article went on to say that this is best done using a garden hose with a spray attachment or other form of low-pressure spray in conjunction with a soft brush. It was also mentioned that a light detergent solution is ok to use on areas with stubborn dirt or stains. Another key to helping the fiber cement siding last longer that was mentioned in the article is periodically re-caulking it where necessary. Caulking is used as an adhesive to attach the siding in certain places and it also forms a moisture barrier that keeps water from getting into a wall cavity and causing problems. The article pointed out that over time this caulking can wear out, shrink away, or simply become misplaced. A periodic visual inspection is all it takes to determine when it’s time to re-caulk. It was also stated in the article that gutters above the siding should be kept clean and free of leaves and other debris. Water that spills over the sides of clogged gutters can cause dark stains on siding that are extremely hard to remove. Also suggested was to keep plants, trees, and other vegetation from growing too close to fiber cement siding and to consider painting the siding after 10-15 years to give it a fresh look and seal it back up again. It was also stated in the article that it recommends dents, chips, cracks, and other minor surface damage be repaired as soon as possible cementitious patching compound to keep them from getting worse.

Next, the newly posted article discussed some common outdoor maintenance steps that can harm fiber cement siding if a homeowner is not careful. This includes using a high-powered pressure washer to clean it. It’s a home maintenance process that may not only dull or remove the paint finish, but can also leave the siding’s surface pitted and damaged. The article also warned to never acid wash vinyl siding under any circumstances. One of the more unusual outdoor maintenance tasks that the article cautioned doing around vinyl siding was applying de-icing salts. These salts have been known to prematurely damage the finished look of the siding. It suggested using sand or gravel as an alternative for driveways or pathways that are close to the fiber cement siding on a home.

Benbow stated that by following the advice in this article, homeowners should be able to stay very pleased with their James Hardie fiber cement siding for many years to come. She also mentioned that in addition to their highly-rated siding services, their company has a reputation for being one of the best in the area when it comes to replacement window installation. The company’s marketing manager says that those in St. Louis and the surrounding areas that would like more information on their siding or window replacement services can call them, shoot them an email, or click on the ‘schedule a free consultation’ tab on their website’s homepage.