How To Know If It’s Time To Replace Your James Hardie Siding
You’ve chosen James Hardie siding because of its durability and longevity, but is there ever a time that it needs to be replaced? At Siding Pro, we stand by James Hardie siding as the best siding option to hold up to years of snowy Colorado winters and dry air, and bright summer sunshine. It’s why we primarily install this particular brand of siding– because it performs so well, and looks as good as real wood.
Siding is your home’s first line of defense against weather, but it also protects your home from pests and moisture, and when you choose a fiber cement siding like James Hardie’s HardiePlank, it’s fire-resistant too. How long can it serve as the protector for your home?
HardiePlank is known for its long life, but when does it need to be replaced? Here’s what you should know about when you might need to refresh your James Hardie siding:
It’s Showing Signs of Weather and Wear
James Hardie plank is designed to withstand the specific harsh weather conditions in the area in which it’s installed, which is why James Hardie offers multiple kinds of siding to hold up in different kinds of climate zones. As a result, you won’t see many signs of weather or wear– even under the toughest of Colorado winter weather conditions, but sometimes, things happen.
Regular maintenance can help extend the life of your James Hardie siding, and the recommended care for HardiePlank is far easier than the necessary care for vinyl, wood, or aluminum siding.
Vinyl siding fades and cracks, and even an errant rock propelled by a lawnmower or a strong power washer can do serious damage, wood siding can rot or warp, and needs lots of maintenance, and aluminum siding is so problematic, most contractors refuse to even use it anymore. But HardiePlank holds up where the other kinds of siding don’t.
Even though it’s incredibly durable, nicks, scrapes, and nail holes still happen over time. James Hardie siding is strong and long-lasting, but it’s not impervious to wear. You can patch small touch-up areas with a ColorPlus touch-up kit, but any wear that’s over the size of a dime means that it’s time to replace damaged siding panels with new panel sections.
It’s Survived a Fire
Hopefully, you will never have to face the horror of a house fire, but in the unfortunate event that a fire does occur, James Hardie Siding won’t fan the flames. James Hardie Siding is strong– and it’s designed to keep your home safer than vinyl or wood siding during a house fire. Unlike vinyl, which is a petroleum-based product, or wood, which is highly combustible, James Hardie Siding is fire-resistant. HardiePlank does not contribute combustibles towards a home fire.
While James Hardie Siding is fire-resistant, it may still show signs of damage if it’s been exposed to fire and will need to be replaced as a result. To maintain the integrity of your home’s siding, you’ll want to replace the affected areas with new HardiePlank.
It’s Been Over 30 Years
When is it time to replace the James Hardie siding on your home? Has it been 30 years? With careful routine maintenance, your siding will far outlast other types of siding. Normal siding needs to be repainted once every 5 to 7 years, but James Hardie siding is made from fiber cement and doesn’t need to be repainted quite so often– a paint cycle can last as long as 12 years, and the paint prefinished James Hardy siding is warranted for 15 years. It just doesn’t need to be replaced nearly as often.
James Hardie siding is so durable to pests and rot that it needs to be replaced much less frequently than wood or vinyl siding. It’s not going to deteriorate the way that traditional wood siding does. Not only is James Hardie fiber cement siding going to outlast other kinds of siding, but it’s also warranted for 30 years. Other types of siding can last around 15-20 years. When it is time to replace your James Hardie siding? The true question should be: Has it been over a quarter of a century yet?
Think of it this way: If you think of your home’s siding as having a lifespan, James Hardie plank doesn’t grant you immortality, but it can extend the length of your siding’s life many times over. Proper installation from a James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor will also help lengthen the life of your James Hardie siding.
Is your siding in need of repair or replacement? Let our qualified contractors provide the exceptional service you need. Contact us today for more information on how we can maintain and replace your siding investment.
