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Siding rarely fails all over. It fails at an edge: the bottom of a board that stayed wet, the end grain of a corner post, the trim under a window where caulk let go years ago. Caught there, it is a small carpentry job and a can of paint.
| Spot | What you see | The usual cause |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom two rows | Swollen, flaking lower edges | Splash from hard ground, a sprinkler head aimed at the wall, or mulch piled against the boards |
| Outside corners | Open joints, paint split along the grain | End grain takes in water; old caulk has shrunk |
| Under windows | Soft trim at the lower corners | Water running off the sill with no flashing to turn it out |
| Around a hose spigot | A dark, soft patch | A slow drip, sometimes for years |
| Behind a gutter end | Staining down the wall | The gutter overflows or was never sealed at the end cap |
A new board in the place where the old one rotted will rot too, unless whatever kept it wet is changed. That is usually something modest: moving a sprinkler head, pulling mulch back so there is clear space under the bottom row, adding a strip of flashing over a window head, sealing a gutter end.
Ask the contractor to say, for each repair, what caused it and what is being done about that. If the answer is only “replace and paint,” the same call will be needed again.
Damage on one side is a repair. Damage starting on three sides is a pattern, and replacement of the worst walls is cheaper than chasing it.
Paint hides rot. A screwdriver pressed into the suspect spot tells more than a walk around the house.
If the sheathing under a removed board is dark or soft, the problem is older and wider than the board.
The profile can usually be matched closely, and paint does the rest. If the old product is no longer made, a contractor will pick the nearest width and texture and place the joint where it shows least.
For a hairline joint in sound wood, yes. Caulk over soft wood seals the moisture in and speeds up the rot.
The city's permit handout treats cosmetic work such as painting and trim as exempt, and does not mention siding repair specifically. For anything beyond a few boards, the contractor should confirm with Building Inspections at 972-941-7140.
Say where on the house they are and how many. Photos help; the form takes a description.
Call (972) 526-0131 Send the Details
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