Floods are among the most destructive natural forces on the planet. When the water recedes, it's important to act quickly to assess the damage to your home so that you can make changes before mold growth occurs. While most people focus on the interior of their home after a flood, the exterior of a home can be similarly negatively affected. In particular, if you have siding on the exterior of your home, it's important to understand what to do with it after a flood so that you don't put your home at risk.
Height of Water
When thinking through potential damage to your home's exterior, it's important to think through the depth of the water from the flood. If your home sits on a crawl space, there's a chance that none of your home's siding was exposed to water. Typically, you can see the height of the water by looking for a debris line on the exterior of your home. You can also remove a few pieces of the siding to see if you can spot a water line. Even if the water only contacted a small portion of your siding, it's important to address the problem quickly.
Potential Problems
You may wonder why it's so crucial to take care of any siding that's been underwater. The main problem is that siding is designed to be waterproof. While this is great when the water is on the outside of the siding, it's not so great when the water gets past the siding. After the water soaks into the wood sheathing, the water likely won't be able to evaporate, leading to mold and structural issues due to wood rot. With the siding constantly exposed to moisture, it can also break down over time, thus reducing your home's protection against future rain events.
Removal or Replacement
Many professional flood repair companies encourage customers to move quickly after their home is affected by a flood. If you remove the siding from your home quickly, there's a good chance that you'll be able to simply take it off, allow the sheathing to dry, and then re-install the same siding. However, if you wait too long to remove the siding, the siding will likely warp due to water damage, ultimately requiring you to invest in new siding. If you are wondering what steps you should take after a flood, it may be a good idea to reach out to a professional like FB Roofing & Siding, Inc. for answers to your questions.
Other Exterior Options
Repairing your home after a flood can provide a great opportunity for you to update the look of your home. If you want to upgrade your siding, you can choose from any number of exterior options. These include concrete siding, brick veneer, wood shakes, and many other beautiful options. Even if you simply opt for new siding in a different color, it's great to be able to make the most of what was a difficult situation.
Make Sure You're Thorough
When you choose to tackle your home's exterior issues after a flood, it's vital that you take the time to be detailed. Thoroughness is of utmost importance to ensure that you don't miss any moisture that could cause serious long-term damage. If you're not sure about your home's exterior condition, your best bet is to seek out assistance from a professional so that you don't put your home at risk.
