The care and maintenance of western siding is a challenging task because there are so many problems that can arise on the siding. Following are a number of ways that you can adopt for taking care of cedar siding.
Handle Discoloration and Paint
The outdoor exposure of the cedar decks and siding result in dirty material that easily loses its color. This kind of degradation decreases the overall life of the material. It also quickly gets mildew and algae which results in greater damage. All of them are the natural elements, but they erode the siding finishes in a slow manner. Only require cleaning of these materials can result in the good performance of the siding.
However, it is also important to understand that the degree of siding maintenance also depends on the conditions of the local climate and the types of finish and siding. The good thing about this material is that once you have applied good quality of finishes, it will last longer than expectations of house owners. Quick remedial treatment of discoloration can make a bigger change and this is recommended to contact a professional for further help.
Remove Dirt:
Removing dirt from the siding is an easy process because you can use a non-phosphate detergent for cleaning the dirt. The dirt is also a sign of initial stage of discoloration that restores with the usage of a good detergent solution.
Mildew:
The next common type of discoloration is mildew that you can see getting prominent on the paint and stains. This condition is caused by the staining algae sp the strategy of re-staining cannot give you the solution of mildew issue. At the time of refinishing the material, you have to clean off the mildew with a good mild bleach solution that should have oxygen element in it. You can also use mildew remover for maintaining its condition. Once you have thoroughly finished and rinsed the material, you have to let it dry and then refinish it with a nice coating that must have effective mildew chemical. You can put some drops of liquid bleach used in the household on the material and then clean it. After some time when the material gets dried, you can further apply bleach on it. The discoloration that does not treat with bleach requires special investigation.
Extractives Bleeding:
Moisture can cause both discoloration and extractives bleeding and for stopping such stains, you first have to eliminate the source of moisture. Some of the house owners wait for rain for washing the mild stains that is easily done in a period of weeks. The more age of discoloration can result in darker color which means that now it is more challenging to handle the problem. If the first tip of the detergent does not seem effective then you can use a mild oxalic acid solution that has proved to be very effective in removing such stains. When you observe the condition of the siding and it is still same as earlier then you can also prime it with alkyd primer and coat the above part with latex coating.
Last Option:
If none of the above-mentioned DIY projects is in your abilities to perform then you can also call the roofing agent to inspect the condition of the siding and repair it. Only call the roofer that has a reputation of treating Western red cedar siding for installation of new siding downriver Michigan and do not rely on the inexperienced contractors. We hope that you will be able to plan well when it is about the life of siding that protects the structure of your house.