Care Protecting Your Cedar Siding Shingles
TIP! When there is a crack in a shingle, you must replace it. In fact, any cracking usually means that you’ll have to replace all of the shingles as they’re likely to start cracking too.
Red and white cedar siding shingles are available in pre-finished forms because homeowners love the look of weathered cedar, particularly red cedar. Untreated, cedar siding shingles are more prone to damage caused by weather conditions, insects, and others. One option for you would be to pick cedar siding shingles that have been treated or sealed in the factory. Types of treatments for cedar siding shingles (http://www.erniesgutter.com/contact-us-2)
TIP! If you have a leak in your roof and the weather is wet and/or icy, it is a good idea to wait until the weather is better to take care of it. While fixing the roof right away might seem like the best solution, you are increasing your chances of getting hurt.
Some cedar siding shingles are treated with bleaching oil, a treatment made with linseed oil and bleach crystals, that not only protect your cedar shingles against decay and other coastal contamination, but also give them the weathered silvery gray look that many homeowners prefer. Bleaching oil also protects against the blackening of cedar siding shingles caused by mildew infestation and natural substances in the wood. You may need to recoat your cedar siding shingles with this bleaching oil to keep them in optimum condition. If you like the natural look of cedar for your siding, you can apply a clear coat solution to them. This clear coat solution will help prolong the life of the wood and slows down the weathering process to help preserve the natural unfinished look of cedar. Texture and absorption of cedar siding treatments The texture of your chosen cedar siding will affect its absorption of whatever protective product you choose to apply. Smooth cedar siding shingles, while showing the grain patterns and color variations better than the other two textures, will absorb less finish and will require more maintenance in terms of recoating the finishes. The other two textures, rough and saw-textured, can absorb twice as much finish and need to be recoated much less frequently than the smooth-textured variety. Cleaning and Maintenance of cedar shingles Part of ensuring that your cedar siding shingles will last lies in cleaning and maintenance. Though it is a product that is placed at the exterior of the house, keep in mind that interior conditions of your home may also affect the condition of your cedar siding shingles. By now, you may have already discerned that moisture is one of the biggest foes of cedar siding shingles. Humidity and other forms of moisture can penetrate through cracks and crevices in the walls of your home and reach the shingles installed outside. There are measures that can be done to prevent moisture problems from inside your home, like � maintaining an interior humidity of around 40% � making sure that the attic is properly insulated and well ventilated to prevent any one spot from being too humid and thus risking moisture to seep through to the shingles � installing heating wires to melt any ice that may have found its way under the roof shingles � checking the caulking around your home for possible leaks. Hire a contractor to carry out some of the more involved methods of care if you feel that you cannot do them
Topic: Cedar Siding Shingles
