How to Replace Vinyl Siding Without Disruption to Your Family

Vinyl siding is among the most popular residential siding options for a reason. Not only is this material relatively cheap, durable, and attractive – it’s also not too much of a hassle to install or replace. That said, any adjustments made to your home’s siding is bound to cause some disruption. If you approach vinyl siding replacement the wrong way, you can wind up making plenty of noise and potentially diminish your home’s insulative qualities, even if only for a short while. Fortunately, replacing vinyl siding pieces doesn’t require as much time or effort as you might think – the key is knowing what you’re doing and hiring the right team.
With that in mind, let’s go over how to replace vinyl siding at your home without causing major disruptions to your family.
How to Replace Vinyl Siding at Your Home Without Disruption
Gather Everything You Need Before Getting Started
This is a useful rule of thumb for any renovation. Having all the necessary tools, materials, and gear at the ready from the get-go will streamline the vinyl siding replacement process and prevent your home from going without siding boards for extended periods of time. As far as what you’ll want to have on hand, this list should include:
- Vinyl siding replacement pieces (the same brand, size, color, and build as the rest of your home’s siding)
- Claw hammer
- Nails (of the appropriate size)
- Tape measure
- Level and chalk/dry line
- Caulking gun
- Squares
- Safety gloves and goggles
- Pry bar and zip tool (these can help speed up the siding removal process, but they’re not required if you know what you’re doing)
You might not need all of the objects mentioned above, but having these items on hand will cover all of your bases.
Only Replace What’s Necessary
A siding replacement job doesn’t usually entail the replacement of all boards donning your home – rather, it usually involves the removal and replacement of a handful of individual boards that cannot be fixed with simple siding repair. Replacing only the pieces of vinyl siding that are severely damaged, discolored, or otherwise due for a change will greatly reduce the time it takes to tackle this project, minimizing disruptions. Of course, you must carefully inspect your home’s exterior as a whole beforehand to determine which pieces truly need replacing. Replace a board if it’s cracked, loose, warped, filled with holes, or rotting.
Employ the Proper Technique for Vinyl Siding Replacement
As mentioned earlier, replacing vinyl siding isn’t too difficult. Vinyl siding pieces are designed to lock into place an overlap with one another. In fact, you can begin to remove a vinyl board with just your hands (you can use a pry bar and zip tool, too), sliding your finger down from the overlapping joint to the interlocking section, pulling out and up until it snaps off. Pull the board away down its entire length before doing the same for the board(s) directly above it so you can access the nailing flange holding it in place. From there, pry out all the nails with your hammer and completely remove the piece of vinyl siding.
Replacing the removed piece is as simple as following the above steps in reverse. First, place the replacement piece underneath the panel above and lock it into place (you’ll hear a satisfying snap). Then, hammer new nails (or the previous ones if they’re in good shape) into the flange, leaving a little bit of space for proper give as temperatures fluctuate over time. Finally, snap the piece above the replaced piece back into place, and you’re good to go.
Hire Siding Replacement Experts Near You
With the right tools and technique, just about anyone can replace pieces of vinyl siding on their home without causing too much of a stir. That said, not everyone has the time, patience, or confidence to tackle such a project on their own. If you want to ensure the best results with maximum efficiency, partner up with Raleigh, NC siding professionals like Anderson Painting. If you have questions or concerns regarding your property’s exterior, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!